Four Home Runs Not Enough as Tigers Fall to Red Wolves, 8-6

Tuesday, April 22

Memphis, Tenn.

6:05 P.M.

University of Memphis

16-24

Arkansas State

19-21

Arkansas State

Memphis

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Four Home Runs Not Enough as Tigers Fall to Red Wolves, 8-6

Apr 22, 2025 | Baseball

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis baseball team slugged four home runs on Tuesday night, but it wasn't enough as Arkansas State pulled out an 8-6 win over the Tigers at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field.

The Tigers moved to 16-24 (4-11 American) on the season while the Red Wolves improved to 19-21 (8-10 SBC) on the year.

"We fell behind the 8-ball early with five free passes in the first couple innings there," head coach Matt Riser said. "We're swinging the bat better. They came in with a top-20 ERA in the country as a team with a good arm on the mound tonight … We did a good job responding, the freshmen did a good job of stepping up and doing some things for us tonight … We'll get back to work and get ready for UTSA this weekend."

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Red Wolves got seven of their eight runs in the first three frames. They got on the board in the first on a two-out, two-run single to right field by DH Cason Campbell and added three runs in the second on an RBI single from lead-off man Ashton Quiller, followed by a bases-loaded RBI walk by Wil French. That led to the Tigers trading two outs for a run with a 6-4-3 double play as Arkansas State took a 5-0 lead.
• Freshman catcher Jack Pitts hit a 104-MPH scorcher over the left-field wall for his first collegiate home run to put Memphis on the board in the bottom of the second inning.
• The Red Wolves scratched across two more runs in the top of the third to take a 7-1 lead.
• In the bottom of the fourth, freshman Carter McKay delivered a no-doubt, two-run shot over the video board in right field to trim the A-State lead to four runs. With two outs in the inning, Creek Robertson ripped a line-drive solo shot to left field to eat into the A-State lead and make it a three-run game.
• First baseman Shane Cox got in on the fun in the bottom of the fifth, slugging a two-run home run to left field to cut the Red Wolves' lead to a run.
• In the seventh, A-State added a run on a sac-fly by French to make the score 8-6, Red Wolves.
• The two teams traded zeroes the rest of the way and Arkansas State hung on for the 8-6 win.

NOTABLES
• Memphis has now tallied 10-plus hits in five-consecutive games and in eight of its last 11.
• Justin Fogel went 4-for-5 with four singles – all to the opposite field. Fogel now has seven hits in his past two games following a 3-for-4 performance in Sunday's 13-2 win over Rice.
• The Tigers slugged four-plus home runs for the third time this season. Memphis has hit seven home runs in its past two games (3 vs. Rice, 4/19).
• Two of the four home runs came from true freshmen (McKay, Pitts).
• Pitts finished the night 2-for-4 with the solo home run and a single.
• McKay's home run was his second of the season – both coming at home. He finished the night 1-for-3.
• Shane Cox homered for the third-consecutive game and for his team-leading seventh time of the season. His seven home runs have already more than doubled his career high (3; 2023).
• Before this season, Cox had 199-career at-bats and three total home runs after not hitting one a season ago. He leads the squad with seven round-trippers in 134 at-bats this season.
• Robertson was 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a single.
• Freshman Michael Politte went 1-for-4 with a single.
• RHP Connor Pittman threw three innings of relief and allowed two earned runs on five hits (1 K).
• RHP Logan Stelling threw 1.1 scoreless innings (1 H, 1 K, 1 BB).
• RHP Brayden Sanders threw a scoreless eighth and ninth with three strikeouts and allowed just one hit.
• RHP Seth Cox took the loss on the mound and went to 1-3 on the season overall.

UP NEXT
• The Tigers hit the road for San Antonio, Texas, this weekend for a three-game American Athletic Conference series at league-leader UTSA (30-10, 12-3 AAC), Friday through Sunday.

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.