Tigers Drop Game One of Inaugural Grind City Classic to Butler

Friday, March 8

Memphis, Tenn.

3:05 P.M.

University of Memphis

7-8

Butler

5-6

Butler

Memphis

David Warren vs. Wright State, March 1, 2024 by Matt Smith

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Tigers Drop Game One of Inaugural Grind City Classic to Butler

Mar 08, 2024 | Baseball

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis baseball team dropped its first game of the Inaugural Grind City Classic to Butler, 7-6, on Friday afternoon at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field in the four-team, round-robin style tournament hosted by the Tigers.

The Tigers dropped to 7-8 on the season with the loss while the Bulldogs improved to 5-6 overall.

"We have to do a better job offensively and make some adjustments," head coach Matt Riser said. "We're getting out the same way over, and over again. We have to quit being redundant in what we're doing. It's not about the opponent, it's about us and fixing us."

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Memphis jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, getting its first run on an errant throw from the Butler second baseman that allowed Daunte Stuart to reach and Alex Fernandes to score. Jacob Compton came to the plate with two outs in the inning and belted his AAC-leading sixth home run of the campaign, driving in Stuart in the process to give the Tigers the three-run lead.
• A two-out, two-run double by Butler's Joey Urban trimmed the Memphis lead to one in the top of the second. The Bulldogs tacked on another run in the third on an RBI single from Xavier Carter that briefly tied the game at 3-3.
• Compton came back to the plate in the bottom of the frame and quickly untied the game, adding to his conference-leading home run total with his seventh round tripper of the season and second of the game to give the Tigers a 4-3 lead.
• The Bulldogs took the lead in the top of the sixth on a two-out, two-run shot by pinch hitter Ryan Drumm on the first pitch he saw, giving Butler a 5-4 lead.
• Butler's Ian Choi entered the game as a defensive replacement at second base in the bottom of the sixth and homered in his first trip to the plate in the top of the seventh – a two-run shot to make the Bulldog lead 7-4.
• The Tigers got a run back on a solo home run by left fielder Aaron Smigelski in the bottom of the eighth, and Brandon Chorzelewski struck out three Bulldogs in the bottom of the frame to give Memphis a chance in the ninth.
• Shortstop Jake Curtis led off the ninth inning with his AAC-leading eighth double of the season. Austin Baskin came to the plate and ripped a one-out double down the left-field line and traded places with Curtis to trim the Bulldog lead to one. A fly out to center and a strike out ended the game and gave Butler the 7-6 win.

NOTABLES
• Compton slugged a pair of home runs to add to his AAC-leading total (7) through the first 15 games of the season.
• Baskin went 1-for-4 with an RBI double and reached on a hit-by-pitch, extending his on-base streak to 28 games dating back to last season.
• Smigelski ended the game 2-for-3 with his third home run of the year. He also drew a walk.
• Designated hitter Seth Cox went 2-for-3 with a walk from the nine spot in the lineup.
• Stuart doubled and scored a run. Fernandes tallied a bunt single and scored a run.
• David Warren made his fourth start of the season and went five innings, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out five and walking a pair, taking a no decision. JT Durham was tagged with the loss to drop to 2-1 on the season (1.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 K).

UP NEXT
• The Tigers are back at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field on Saturday night at 5 p.m. against Presbyterian (8-6) for their second game of the Grind City Classic.

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.