Tigers Shutout Redhawks, Clinch Series Win Over SEMO

Monday, February 17

Memphis, Tenn.

2:05 P.M.

University of Memphis

2-1

Southeast Missouri

1-2

Southeast Missouri

Memphis

Photo by: Auburn Sage

Tigers Shutout Redhawks, Clinch Series Win Over SEMO

Feb 17, 2025 | Baseball

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis baseball team defeated Southeast Missouri behind a 2-0 shutout of the Redhawks on Monday afternoon at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field, clinching a three-game series win.

The Tigers improved to 2-1 on the season with the win.

"This was an important series against a team coming out of a Regional Final with a lot of experience," head coach Matt Riser said. "I thought their three starters did a really good job with our hitters. Our offense is going to get going, we talked about that postgame. But you have to find ways to win, whether it's pretty or not. There are different ways for it to look pretty – sometimes it's swinging the bat, sometimes it's pitching, and I thought we pitched it really well this weekend against a very veteran offense."

HOW IT HAPPENED
• RHP Caden Robinson made his first start of the season on the mound – the 18^th of his Tiger career – and was sharp from the first pitch of the game. The junior right-hander retired the Redhawks in order in the top of the first, fanning the final batter of the frame.
• The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Tigers were able to strike for a pair of runs. A leadoff double by Shane Cox sparked the Memphis offense, leading to a perfectly executed squeeze play.
• Creek Robertson came to the plate and got the bunt down as Cox was streaking for home, allowing the first run to cross. Robertson ended up on second base due to an errant throw and scored a few pitches later when Jonah Sutton singled into center field.
• Left-hander Luke Ellis entered the game for Robinson after 4.1 scoreless innings by the latter, and picked up where Robinson left off – dominating the Redhawk lineup.
• The duo of Robinson and Ellis combined to throw eight scoreless innings while allowing just three hits and five walks while striking out six.
• Closer Brayden Sanders entered for the ninth and slammed the door on SEMO after the Redhawks put a pair of runners on to lead off the inning. Sanders was able to get a pop out, a strikeout and a fly out to center field to end the game and earn his first save of the season.

NOTABLES
• Robinson was sharp in his season debut, going 4.1 scoreless innings while allowing just a pair of hits. He struck out three and walked four.
• Ellis tossed 3.2 scoreless innings of his own, allowing just a single hit and one walk while striking out three Redhawks.
• Shane Cox continued his hot start to the season with another multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. On the season, Cox is batting .500 with four extra-base hits (three 2B, one HR).
• Third baseman Will Vasseur had a solid day, notching a pair of singles at the plate and making a couple of strong defensive plays at the hot corner.
• Cy Turner and Sutton each recorded a hit in the win. Robertson scored a run.
• The shutout marked the first for Memphis since last season (May 4, 2024) at Tulane (3-0 shutout).

UP NEXT
• The Tigers are back at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field on Tuesday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. for a mid-week matchup with Little Rock.

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.