Tigers Fall to Owls in Game One at FedExPark

Thursday, April 17

Memphis, Tenn.

6:05 P.M.

University of Memphis

15-22, 3-10

Rice

10-30, 4-9

Rice

Memphis

Apr 17, 2025 | Baseball

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis baseball team fell to Rice, 10-5, on Thursday night at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field in game one of a three-game American Athletic Conference series.

The Tigers moved to 15-22 (3-10 American) on the season and had their three-game winning streak snapped while the Owls improved to 10-30 (4-9 American) overall.

"It's about how we respond to it," head coach Matt Riser said. "If you look at the totality of what we did tonight and what we did offensively to get ourselves back in the game against their guy, I think that's the positive out of it. So, build off that, flush what happened late and get yourself back in the fight [tomorrow]."

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Rice got on the board with a pair of runs with a two-run single by Landon West in the top of the first inning.
• Memphis answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the first. Chase Nixon drove in the first run for the Tigers with an RBI single through the right side that scored Cade Greer after he led the game off with a double. Memphis got its second run on a two-out error by the Owls.
• Rice took the lead back in the top of the fourth on a sac-fly off the bat of Hiram Bocachica to make the score 3-2, Owls.
• The Owls added three more to their total in the fifth. An RBI single by Michael Zito drove in the first run before a double down the left-field line by West plated another pair to make the score 6-2, Rice.
• The Tigers fought back in the bottom of the fifth and pushed across a pair of runs, the first coming on an RBI double by Nixon. Catcher Justin Fogel slapped a two-out RBI single to left field to score Nixon later in the frame to make it a 6-4 game.
• Rice freshman Blaine Brown slugged an opposite-field solo shot in the top of the seventh in a one-two count to grow the Rice lead back to three.
• In the bottom of the eighth, Daniel Perez drew a bases-loaded walk to force in a run and trim the Owls' lead to a pair. The bases remained loaded with nobody out, but the Tigers let the opportunity slip away as an inning-ending double play got Rice out of the jam with a two-run lead still intact.
• Rice added on three runs in the top half of the ninth to extend its lead to 10-5.
• Memphis started the bottom of the ninth with a lead-off walk by third baseman Will Vasseur but went down quietly after that as the Owls took game one of the series, 10-5.

NOTABLES
• The Tigers totaled 11 hits to mark the fifth time in the past eight games with 11-plus hits.
• Vasseur was on base four times and went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles to extend his hitting streak to nine games and his on-base streak to 11 games. He crossed home twice in the loss.
• Nixon went 2-for-5 and drove in a pair of runs. He slapped his team-leading 11^th double of the season.
• Greer ended the night 2-for-5 from the lead-off spot, including a double down the right-field line in the bottom of the first. He later came around and scored.
• Fogel ended the game 1-for-4 with an RBI single, a walk and a run scored.
• Perez finished the night 1-for-3 with an RBI.
• Shane Cox and Creek Robertson each recorded a hit.
• RHP Seth Garner made his 10^th start of the campaign and went 4.1 innings (7 H, 6 R, 3 K, 1 BB) and was tagged with the loss to go to 2-5 on the season overall.
• RHP Davis Oswalt pitched 4.1 innings of relief. He allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits while striking out six and walking none.
• LHP Logan Rushing recorded a strikeout for the final out of the ninth inning.

UP NEXT
• The Tigers are back at FedExPark tomorrow night for game two of the series with the Owls with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m. LHP David Case will go for the Tigers on the mound as Rice is set to counter with LHP J.D. McCracken.

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.