Tigers Fall in Series Finale, 7-5, to AAC-Leader UTSA

Sunday, April 14

Memphis, Tenn.

1 P.M.

University of Memphis

18-19, 6-6

UTSA

21-15, 9-3

UTSA

Memphis

Will Marcy vs. Jackson State, March 10, 2024 by Matt Smith

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Tigers Fall in Series Finale, 7-5, to AAC-Leader UTSA

Apr 14, 2024 | Baseball

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis baseball team fell to American Athletic Conference leader UTSA, 7-5, in the series finale and rubber match Sunday afternoon at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field as the Roadrunners took the series, two games to one.

The Tigers dropped a game below .500 on the season, moving to 18-19 overall (6-6 AAC) with the loss as the Roadrunners improved to 21-15 overall (9-3 AAC).

"We came out on the wrong end of things, but what a battle of a weekend," head coach Matt Riser said. "At the end of the day, they threw the last punch, and it was a tough series to lose, but you can see how close it is for us to be able to progress and continue to move in the right direction."

HOW IT HAPPENED
• UTSA standout Mason Lytle led off the game with a solo home run to left-center field to put the Roadrunners up 1-0 just five pitches into the contest. Later in the inning, right fielder James Taussig doubled to right field and drove in two more Roadrunners to put them up 3-0.
• A solo home run by Memphis right fielder Pierre Seals that traveled 432 feet to left-center field put the Tigers on the board in the bottom of the second.
• Will Marcy drove in the second run of the game for the Tigers in the bottom of the third with a sharp double down the left-field line that scored Shane Cox to make the score 3-2.
• Lytle drove in his second run of the game with a sacrifice-fly in the top of the fourth to put UTSA back up by a pair.
• In the bottom of the fifth, Tiger second baseman Daunte Stuart came through with a clutch, two-out, three-run home run that exited the bat at 110 miles-per-hour to give Memphis its first lead of the game at 5-4.
• Lytle proved to be a thorn in the side of the Tigers in this one as he gave the Roadrunners the lead right back with a two-out, two-run shot in the top of the sixth for his second home run of the game to give UTSA a 6-5 lead.
• A solo home run by Taussig in the top of the seventh inning made the score 7-5 Roadrunners as they held on to win it and take the series, two games to one.

NOTABLES
• Marcy began the game 4-for-4 and ended 4-for-5 with a double, an RBI, a run scored and a pair of stolen bases, raising his season batting average to .308 in the process.
• Seals went 2-for-4 with his ninth home run of the campaign.
• Stuart's three-run shot to give the Tigers the lead in the fifth inning was his fifth long ball of the season and gave him RBI No. 26, No. 27 and No. 28 – tied for second-most on the squad.
• Shane Cox ended the game 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
• Right-hander Caden Robinson started on the mound going 3.2 innings, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out a pair.
• Lefty Logan Rushing threw 2.1 innings of relief and allowed a pair of runs on just three hits and struck out two Roadrunners.
• Shortstop Jake Curtis moved to the mound for the seventh and eighth innings and allowed one run on a pair of hits before moving back to shortstop for the ninth inning.
• Closer Brayden Sanders pitched a scoreless ninth inning and struck out one.

UP NEXT
• The Tigers are back in action next weekend when they head to AAC-newcomer Charlotte (16-20, 5-7 AAC) for a three-game weekend series.

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.