Tigers Drop Series Opener at Wichita State

Thursday, May 15

Wichita, Kan.

6 P.M.

University of Memphis

22-31, 0

Wichita State

18-34, 0

Memphis

Wichita State

Photo by: Brock Busick

May 15, 2025 | Baseball

Box Score

WICHITA, Kan. – The University of Memphis baseball team dropped the series opener of a three-game American Athletic Conference series at Wichita State, 9-5, on Thursday night at Eck Stadium in Wichita, Kansas.

The Tigers moved to 22-31 (8-17 AAC) on the season while Wichita State improved to 18-34 overall (9-16 AAC). With two regular season games remaining, Memphis is now in must-win territory, needing wins in the next two games to keep its season alive and advance to the AAC Tournament in Clearwater, Florida, next week.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Wichita State scored the game's first run on a two-out single by Jaden Gustafson in the bottom of the first.
• Memphis tied it up in the top of the second inning on a no-doubt solo shot to left field by Seth Cox.
• Wichita State's Jordan Rogers hit a solo shot of his own in the bottom of the third inning to give the Shockers a 2-1 lead.
• In the top of the fourth, the Tigers got a pair of runs on back-to-back bases loaded walks drawn by Jack Pitts and Will Vasseur to take a 3-2 lead.
• The Shockers answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the fourth to take a 4-3 lead and added on two more in the fifth to extend the lead to 6-3.
• Pitts came back to the plate in the top of the sixth and belted a 480-foot, two-run shot over the street beyond the left-field wall to bring the Tigers back within a run.
• Wichita State got a two-out run in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by Zeb Henry to push its lead back to a pair.
• Gustafson added two more runs for the Shockers in the bottom of the seventh with a two-out, two-run shot to bring the score to 9-5.
• The Tigers were unable to get any offense strung together the rest of the way as the Shockers took game one, 9-5.

NOTABLES
• Seth Cox had a 2-for-2 night with a solo home run, a pair of runs scored and walked once. Cox's home run marked his fourth of the season and 10^th overall as a Tiger.
• Chase Nixon went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles and a run, also making a great catch and doubling off a runner at third base for the 48^th double play of the season for Memphis.
• Pitts slugged his fifth home run of the season and ended the night 1-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored.
• Justin Fogel recorded a hit and scored a run.
• RHP Seth Garner made his 14^th start of the season on the mound and took the loss to go to 3-8 on the year. He allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits and walked a season-high four Shockers over 3.1 innings pitched.
• RHP Kylan Stepter pitched a scoreless ninth inning and lowered his season ERA to 1.93.

UP NEXT
• The Tigers are back in action vs. the Shockers at Eck Stadium tomorrow night for game two of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.

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.