Tigers Fall in Doubleheader at Charlotte

Saturday, April 20

Charlotte, N.C.

1 P.M.

University of Memphis

18-21, 6-8

Charlotte

18-21, 7-7

Memphis

Charlotte

Photo by: Brock Busick

Apr 21, 2024 | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The University of Memphis baseball team dropped both games of an American Athletic Conference doubleheader at Charlotte on Saturday at Robert & Mariam Hayes Stadium as the 49ers took the series.

The Tigers dropped to 18-22 overall (6-9 AAC) with the loss, while the 49ers improved to 19-21 (8-7 AAC) on the season.

"Tough weekend," head coach Matt Riser said. "I thought the guys competed well, but the story of the weekend was we lost by a combined four runs and left 30 runners on base, and they left 15 on base. When you don't have success, you have to find a way to be better in those areas to win games."

Game One: Charlotte 12, Memphis 11

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Pierre Seals drove in the game's first run with a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Will Marcy in the top of the first.
• Charlotte responded with a three-run bottom of the first that included the first home run of the game for Carson Bayne – a two-run shot to put the 49ers up 3-1.
• The Tigers swung back in the top of the second and plated three runs of their own to take a 4-3 lead. Marcy doubled and drove in North Carolina native Aaron Smigelski before Jake Curtis shot a two-run single back up the middle to give Memphis the lead.
• Bayne connected for his second long ball of the contest to lead off the bottom of the third inning and tie the game at 4-4.
• Catcher Jonah Sutton got the start behind the plate in game one and led off the top of the fourth inning with his first home run of the season to put Memphis back in front, 5-4. Jacob Compton drew a bases-loaded walk later in the frame to push the Tigers' lead to a pair of runs.
• Memphis added on in the top of the sixth with three more runs, the first coming on a one-out RBI double by Seals. Compton then delivered a two-run moon shot that cleared the trees beyond the right-field bullpen to grow Memphis' advantage to 9-4. Just two pitches later, lightning struck to begin a two-hour weather delay.
• After the delay, the 49ers came out hot. A one-out RBI triple by Charlotte's Dante DeFranco drove in one run and then a two-out single from Shane Taylor drove in another to trim the Memphis lead to three.
• Charlotte added on three more runs in the bottom of the seventh on a pair of RBI singles and a sac-fly to tie the game up at nine runs apiece.
• In the top of the eighth, Compton came through with his second home run of the game and 11^th of the season to put the Tigers back in front, 11-9. Memphis then rolled a double play in the bottom half of the inning to escape unscathed and head to the ninth with a two-run lead.
• In a shocking turn of events, Charlotte's Juan Correa led off the home half of the ninth with a solo home run – his 11^th of the season – and then Bayne sent the home crowd into a frenzy with his game-tying, third homer of the game. The 49ers then went to pinch hitter AJ Bianchina and he delivered with a walk-off, solo home run to stun the Tigers and give Charlotte the series win.

NOTABLES
• Four Tigers recorded a pair of hits in the game: Marcy, Baskin, Seals and Compton.
• Compton slugged his team-leading 10^th and 11^th home runs of the season and drove in five runs. He also drew a walk.
• Seals and Curtis both drove in a pair of runs. Seals doubled twice.
• Marcy ripped his 12^th two-bagger of the year and drove in a run.
• Smigelski went 1-for-2 with a double, a walk and a stolen base – and threw a runner out at second base.

Game Two: Charlotte 5, Memphis 4

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Charlotte jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. A two-out RBI double by Juan Correa plated the first run and a pair of RBI singles followed.
• Jake Curtis grounded into a double play in the top of the third and Shane Cox crossed the dish to put the Tigers on the board.
• An RBI double down the right-field line by Pierre Seals drove in a run in the top of the sixth. Brennan DuBose followed that with an RBI single through the left side to tie the game at three runs apiece.
• Charlotte took the lead right back in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out RBI single.
• Jacob Compton continued his big day at the plate in the top of the seventh and drove in Austin Baskin with a single back up the middle to tie the game at 4-4.
• The 49ers scored in the bottom of the seventh on a sacrifice fly to go back up, 5-4.
• Curtis drew a one-out walk and stole second base with one out in the ninth but was left stranded as the 49ers took the game, 5-4, to complete the series sweep.

NOTABLES
• Daunte Stuart went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored.
• Compton was 2-for-5 with an RBI to give him six on the day.
• Marcy recorded his 13^th double of the season.
• Seals doubled to give him three two-baggers on the day. He also scored a run.
• Shane Cox was 1-for-3 with a run scored.
• Curtis stole a pair of bags and recorded a hit.
• Every Tiger in the starting lineup reached base safely at least once.

UP NEXT
• The Tigers host Mississippi State (24-14, 8-8 SEC) Tuesday night at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field at 6 p.m.

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