Tigers Fall to Tulsa in Conference Opener, Saturday Start Time Adjusted

Friday, March 7

Tulsa, Okla.

5 PM

University of Memphis

11-12, 0-1

Tulsa

11-10, 1-0

Memphis

Tulsa

Photo by: Steven Spehar

Tigers Fall to Tulsa in Conference Opener, Saturday Start Time Adjusted

Mar 07, 2025 | Softball

Box Score

TULSA, Okla. – Memphis (11-12, 0-1 AAC) softball fell in its opening game of American Athletic Conference play to Tulsa (11-10, 1-0 AAC) by a score of 7-3 on Friday night.

"I love our fight and our heart," head coach Trena Prater said. "We are never out of a game until the last out. The different in the game was that they got hits with runners in scoring position and we did not. We left 11 runners on base. We have to take advantage of these RBI opportunities before the seventh inning."

HOW IT HAPPENED

Memphis got out to an early lead with Arianna Cox-Cole recording an RBI single to score Kennedy Semien.
- Semien led off the game with a double.
Tulsa tied the game in the bottom half of the frame when Celeste Wood singled down the left field line to bring one run home.
Taniyah Brown struck out the side in the bottom of the second inning.
The Golden Hurricane erupted for four runs in the bottom of the third inning.
- Celeste Wood recorded her second RBI single of the game.
- In the next at-bat, Paige Knight doubled to deep right field, bringing home two runs.
- After Jericho Tate entered in relief, Amber Turner recorded a sacrifice fly for Tulsa's fourth run of the inning.
A solo home run in the fifth inning by Celeste Wood extended Tulsa's lead to five runs.
Tulsa recorded its seventh run of the night when Celeste Wood drew a walk with the bases loaded.
- Wood finished the evening with four RBIs.
A home run by Neely Taylor in the top of the seventh inning kept Memphis alive with the hopes of a comeback.
After Zoe Adebayo and Arianna Cox-Cole each hit a single, Mia Brown hit a looping shot that just landed out of the reach of the shortstop, Tallulah Pascucci, and brought home one run.
A fielding error on a ball hit by Faith Brown loaded the bases with the chance of a game-tying grand slam.
- It would have been Memphis' second game-tying grand slam in the seventh inning this season.
With the bases loaded, Shelby Durbin struck out to end the game.
Maura Moore pitched a complete game for Tulsa, striking out eight batters over seven innings of work.
- Memphis recorded seven strikeouts as a staff over six innings pitched.

NOTABLES

Faith Brown unconventional stat line at the plate, recording a sacrifice bunt, fielder's choice, a hit-by-pitch and reaching on an error.
Kennedy Semien and Neely Taylor are currently tied for the team lead in doubles with seven.
- Both recorded doubles during tonight's game.
Four qualified hitters (Kennedy Semien, Neely Taylor, Taniyah Brown, Zoe Adebayo) for Memphis have an OPS above 1.000.
Memphis is without a win in its last three conference openers.
- Both of the Tigers' conference opening losses in 2024 and 2025 came against Tulsa.
Neely Taylor continues to be the only Tiger to have started in all 23 games.
- Semien and Adebayo are the other Tigers to have at least played in all 23 games.
Memphis has 13 different players with at least one stolen base, with 29 stolen bases as a team.
- During the 2024 season, only nine Tigers recorded a stolen base, with the season total at 30 as a team.

UP NEXT
Memphis continues its first conference series of the season tomorrow against Tulsa with an updated start time of 11 a.m. due to impending weather in the area.

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.