Tigers Drop Series Opener to Penguins

Friday, February 24

Memphis, Tenn.

6 P.M.

University of Memphis

Youngstown State

Dalton Fowler vs Samford Opening Day 2023

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Feb 25, 2023 | Baseball

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis baseball team lost the opening game of the weekend's four-game series with Youngstown State, 6-2, on Friday night at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field. The Memphis pitching staff struck out 16 Penguins, but the Tiger offense was outhit 11-to-6 in the loss.

"We just didn't come out ready to play, and that's something we as a coaching staff have to figure out how to get our guys more prepared and locked in to be in a position to compete," head coach Kerrick Jackson said. "Hopefully tomorrow we come out with a better competitive mindset. We as a coaching staff have to figure out to get the best out of our guys moving forward and make changes where we need to."

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Penguins struck first on a bases-clearing, two-out single to right field in the top of the second inning.
• Senior southpaw Dalton Fowler kept zeroes on the board the rest of his outing, although he worked in and out of trouble frequently. Fowler allowed five walks but struck out 10 in 5.2 innings of work, giving up just three earned runs on seven hits.
• The Tigers chipped away at the YSU lead by loading the bases in the bottom of the fourth. Anthony Hansen led the inning off with a single, Austin Baskin walked and Cameron Benson singled before catcher Jonah Sutton walked to force in a run and make the score 3-1. Back-to-back strikeouts by Memphis left the bases loaded.
• In the seventh, freshman RJ Jimerson homered to left field for the second-consecutive game and put the Tigers within a run.
• YSU pushed across another run in the top of the eighth when a Penguin baserunner scored from third on the throw from catcher to the first baseman on a dropped third strike putout, making it a 4-2 game.
• A pair of unearned runs scored with two outs in the ninth inning by Youngstown State gave it a 6-2 lead that held up after the Tigers were kept off the board in their final frame.

NOTABLES
• Fowler went 5.2 IP and racked up 10 strikeouts in the game but took the loss. Through two starts, he has 16 punchouts over 10.1 IP.
• Carson Stinnett was effective in relief, allowing just one hit in two innings of work and striking out three Penguins.
• Lefty Daniel Casto also had a strong outing from the bullpen. He pitched the final 1.1 innings and racked up three strikeouts, allowing two unearned runs on three hits.
• Hansen extended his hitting streak to five games to begin his Memphis career. He went 1-for-3 on the night, scoring a run and drawing his team-leading ninth and 10^th walks of the season.
• Jimerson's solo shot to left field tucked just inside the foul pole and was nearly identical to the blast he hit in Wednesday's 19-10 win over Mississippi Valley State. The Chicago native has appeared in all five games (four starts) for Memphis this season and is batting .278 with a pair of home runs and a team-leading six RBI.
• With the loss, Memphis moved to 3-2 to begin its first season under Kerrick Jackson.

UP NEXT
• The Tigers are back at FedExPark tomorrow for their lone double header of the season with the first game (seven innings) scheduled for noon. First pitch for game two (nine innings) is slated for 3:30 p.m.

How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tiger Baseball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.