Tigers Earn Split Results in Doubleheader Against UTSA

Friday, March 14

Memphis, Tenn.

Noon

University of Memphis

13-14, 0

UTSA

12-12, 0

UTSA

Memphis

Tigers Earn Split Results in Doubleheader Against UTSA

Mar 14, 2025 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Memphis Tigers (13-15, 2-3 AAC) softball took game one of its series against UTSA, 7-2, before falling in the second game of the day, 4-3.

GAME ONE: UTSA 2, Memphis 7

HOW IT HAPPENED

Both sides had similar starts in the first inning as both the Tigers and the Roadrunners plated their first runs on a double steal.
- Kennedy Semien scored for the Tigers with Zoe Adebayo also recording a stolen base on the play.
UTSA had runners on second and third in the second inning after a successful sacrifice bunt by Sabrina Wick, but Rylee Dugar induced a popout on the next batter to end the scoring threat.
The Memphis defense caught a UTSA runner too far from the base, causing a rundown that resulted in an out in a key situation with a runner in scoring position.
The Tigers took the lead when Presley Morris scored on a wild pitch.
- Morris entered as a pinch runner after Zoe Adebayo drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the third inning.
Memphis' offense erupted for a four-run fifth inning.
- After a double by Zoe Adebayo and a walk drawn by McKaylee Polk, Neely Taylor lined a single up the middle to score Adebayo.
- Arianna Cox-Cole sent a hard groundball between the legs of Sabrina Wick at second base, resulting in a three-base error that scored two runs.
- Mia Brown brought home the final run of the frame on a sacrifice fly.
An RBI groundout off the bat of Katia Reyes cut Memphis' lead four runs in the top of the sixth.
In the following half inning, McKaylee Polk extended the Tiger lead back to five runs with an RBI double.
Rylee Dugar threw six innings in the game, striking out four and only allowing one earned run for her fifth victory of the season.
Jericho Tate entered the game in the seventh inning in a non-save situation and finished the game for the Tigers.
Neely Taylor stepped up as the tying run and recorded a lineout to Bayleigh Rouse at third base, who applied the tag on Kennedy Semien for the game-ending double play.

NOTABLES

The Tigers have surpassed their conference win total from the 2024 season.
Memphis' five hits match the lowest total as a team in a victory this season, having previously defeated Tarleton State, 4-3, with only five hits.
Rylee Dugar's fifth win in the circle now puts her in the team lead in wins this season.
Kennedy Semien finished game one with one hit, one walk and a stolen base.
- At 27 games played, she leads Memphis with 30 hits and 16 walks.
Neely Taylor made her team-leading 27th start of the season, going 1-for-3 at the plate with one RBI and one walk.
Zoe Adebayo finished the first game of the day going 1-for-1 in the box, drawing three walks and recording two runs scored.
This game was Memphis' first home conference win since the 2022 season when the Tigers defeated Tulsa, 5-3.

GAME TWO: UTSA 4, Memphis 3

HOW IT HAPPENED

UTSA quickly put pressure on the Memphis defense with Sabrina Wick reaching on an error to lead off the inning.
- Skylar Rucker would single in the next at-bat and make it to third after Wick was caught stealing, but no runs would come across for UTSA in the first.
Memphis was able to load the bases in the second inning and came away with two runs.
- Faith Brown drew a bases-loaded walk to score Neely Taylor.
- In the next at-bat, Kennedy Semien singled off the pitcher's glove to bring the second run home.
The Roadrunners tied the game in the third inning by taking advantage of a defensive error by Memphis.
- Kalee Rochinski and Skylar Rucker both scored on a play that had both a passed ball and a throwing error on Zoe Adebayo while attempting to throw Rucker out at home.
UTSA took the lead in the fourth inning when Sabrina Wick singled to right field to bring Caton Letbetter home.
Neely Taylor's third hit of the game tied the score at three runs apiece, with Kennedy Semien scoring on the RBI single.
Kalee Rochinski gave UTSA the lead when she hit a hard groundball to third base that resulted in a throwing error, allowing one run to score in the top of the sixth inning.
Down to its final three outs, Memphis quickly had a runner in scoring position when Zoe Adebayo singled to right field and advanced to third on a fielding error.
The next at-bat, McKaylee Polk hit a slow rolling ball, which Adebayo attempted to score on but was thrown out at home by Caton Letbetter.
Kayla Clement entered as a pinch runner and advanced to second on a wild pitch before Neely Taylor struck out swinging to end the game.

NOTABLES

Despite earning the loss, Jericho Tate did not allow an earned run over her 3.2 innings of work.
- Only one earned run was allowed by the Tigers during the contest, with three runs scoring due to defensive errors.
This was the first time this season that a Memphis opponent has earned a save against the Tigers.
- Katia Reyes earned her first save of the season.
Kennedy Semien finished the second game with a 2-for-4 performance with one RBI.
- She leads the Tigers in runs scored (26) and is now tied for the team lead in hits (32) with Neely Taylor.
Neely Taylor finished with three hits in her 28th consecutive start.
- Her 32 hits this season are tied with Kennedy Semien for the team lead.
Zoe Adebayo recorded one hit in the second game of the doubleheader.
Three qualified hitters (Kennedy Semien, Neely Taylor, Zoe Adebayo) each hold an OPS above 1.000.
- Qualified hitters must have at least two plate appearances per game and played at least 75% of games played.
Among qualified batters, four Tigers (Semien, Taylor, Adebayo, Shelby Durbin) are hitting with at least a .300 batting average this season.

UP NEXT
The Tigers will look to win their first American Athletic Conference series since the 2019 season when they take on UTSA in the series finale tomorrow at 3 p.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For complete information on Memphis Tigers Softball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram , and Facebook.