Tigers Ice Series Win Over Penguins on Heckert Walk Off

Sunday, February 26

Memphis, Tenn.

11 A.M.

University of Memphis

6-2

Youngstown State

1-7

Youngstown State

Memphis

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Tigers Ice Series Win Over Penguins on Heckert Walk Off

Feb 26, 2023 | Baseball

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – University of Memphis sophomore shortstop Tyler Heckert made the Tigers walk-off winners on Sunday afternoon, driving in Logan Kohler with the bases juiced and two outs in the bottom of the ninth to give Memphis a 6-5 win. The Tigers improved to 6-2 on the season and won three of four games with Youngstown State on the weekend to win the series.

"Our guys fought the whole way and showed some grit there" head coach Kerrick Jackson said. "We made some mistakes early and had some opportunities to blow it open and didn't make it happen. For Heckert to come into that situation with two outs and deliver, you can't ask for more than that."

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Penguins got on the board in the first inning on a two-out single by Padraig O'Shaughnessy to take an early lead.
• A two-out RBI-single by freshman RJ Jimerson that brought home Cameron Benson tied the game in the bottom of the third.
• Andre Good homered for YSU in the in the top of the fourth to add two runs and give the Penguins a 3-1 lead.
• The Tigers scratched back for a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth when Jake Curtis scored on an error by the YSU first baseman on a ball batted by Brayland Skinner, making the score 3-2.
• Heckert came up to the plate in the bottom of the sixth and gave the Tigers their first lead of the game with a two-run blast to deep left field to drive in Brennan DuBose and make it 4-3, Memphis.
• In the top of the eighth, the Penguins loaded the bases and regained the lead on a walk that forced in a run to give YSU a 5-4 lead.
• Heckert came through for the second time of the game with an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth that scored Kohler to tie the game back at 5-5. Memphis left the bases loaded and went to the ninth tied.
• Dalton Kendrick pitched a one-two-three inning with a pair of strikeouts in the ninth to give Memphis a chance to walk off as winners in the ninth.
• Anthony Hansen walked, Austin Baskin doubled and Kohler reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases with no outs for the Tigers. Back-to-back fielder's choice putouts at home plate kept the bases loaded with two outs for Heckert to come to the plate.
• Heckert lined one back up the middle past the diving shortstop to drive in Kohler and come through in the clutch for the third time in the game to give the Tigers the 6-5 walk-off win.

NOTABLES
• Freshman Seth Garner made his second-consecutive Sunday start for the Tigers and pitched effectively over six innings, allowing six hits, three runs and striking out three.
• Kendrick earned the win, pitching 1.2 innings, striking out a pair and not allowing a hit.
• Heckert ended the game 3-for-5 with a homerun and four RBI. He gave the Tigers the lead, tied the game and delivered the walk-off hit.
• Baskin went 2-for-3 with a ninth-inning double and a pair of walks.

UP NEXT
• The Tigers hit the road for the first time this season on Tuesday to take on Central Arkansas (3-3) in Conway, Ark., at Bear Stadium at 4 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.