Memphis Falls Short in Slugfest with Little Rock, 12-11

Tuesday, February 17

Memphis, Tenn.

4:05 p.m.

University of Memphis

2-2

Little Rock

3-1

Little Rock

Memphis

Memphis Falls Short in Slugfest with Little Rock, 12-11

Feb 17, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis baseball team fell to Little Rock 12-11 Tuesday afternoon in a game that included 23 runs, 31 hits and 10 home runs between the two teams.

The two teams went back and forth all game, with a team tying or taking the lead seven different times. Little Rock hit homers in each of the first five innings before Memphis tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. The Trojans posted five runs in the seventh, which proved too much for the Tigers, although they scored four runs in the final three frames.

The Tigers will open the Grind City Classic Friday at 5:05 p.m. against Ohio State at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Angel Cano struck first for the Trojans in the top of the first, hitting a homer to left field.
Cade Martin extended the lead for Little Rock with his own home run to left field in the top of the second.
The Tigers responded in the bottom of the second when Webb Watson singled and was later brought home by graduate student Tyler Harrington's first home run of the season.
Little Rock continued its homer trend with Cano's second home run of the game, coming in the third inning, to put the Trojans up 3-2.
Memphis would tie the game again with Shane Cox's fifth RBI of the year, a single that brought in Javon Hernandez.
Martin then joined Cano in the two-homer club for the day with his second shot to left field in the top of the fourth.
Kade Smith hit the fifth home run for Little Rock in as many innings in the top of the fifth, giving Little Rock a 5-3 lead.
James Smith IV knocked in a run for the Tigers in the bottom of the fifth after Hernandez and Freddy Rodriguez both reached base to start the inning.
The Trojans responded by cluttering the basepaths themselves in the sixth, eventually knocking in a pair of runs after a sacrifice bunt and a single.
Memphis tied the game once again in the bottom of the sixth, scoring three runs on three hits. Michael Gupton hit his first home run of the season, and Hernandez and Rodriguez both collected RBIs, bringing the score to 7-7.
Little Rock blew the game open in the seventh, scoring two runs on a Ty Rhoades single and three runs on a Chaplain Cooper long ball. The Trojans took a 12-7 lead and never looked back.
The Tigers kept fighting as a pair of two-run homers by Seth Giamportone and Smith IV brought Memphis within one before Trojan Josh Beezley shut the door for Little Rock.

NOTABLES

Despite the loss, the Tigers had a massive offensive day, totaling 11 runs on 16 hits, including four home runs.
The 16 hits are the most recorded by the Tigers in a single game since March 14, 2025, when they reached the 16-hit mark against Lindenwood.
Memphis' four home runs are the most in a game since hitting four against Arkansas State last season on April 22.
Tuesday also marked the first game with five or more Tigers recording two or more hits since April 19, 2025, in a game against Rice.
Graduate student Javon Hernandez became the first Tiger to score four or more runs in a game since Justin Fogel scored four in the previously mentioned Rice game.
Arkansas native Webb Watson had a big day, going three for five and scoring a pair of runs.
Redshirt freshman Seth Giamportone entered the game in the seventh inning and in his first collegiate at-bat, hit a 374-foot two-run home run.
Giamportone, along with Michael Gupton, Tyler Harrington and James Smith IV, all hit their first homers of the season for the Tigers.
Marcus Smith, Shane Cox and Smith IV all swiped bags. Memphis now sits at 13-for-13 on stolen base attempts this season, the best mark in the conference.
Cox recorded two singles on the day, giving him multiple hits in three of the four games so far this season and at least one hit in each game.
With two more hits Tuesday, Hernandez has collected at least one base knock in every contest thus far.

SCORING SUMMARY

Top 1:

Angel Cano homered.

Memphis 0, Little Rock 1

Top 2:

Cade Martin homered.

Memphis 0, Little Rock 2

Bottom 2:

Tyler Harrington homered, Webb Watson scored.

Memphis 2, Little Rock 2

Top 3:

Angel Cano homered.

Memphis 2, Little Rock 3

Bottom 3:

Shane Cox singled, Javon Hernandez scored.

Memphis 3, Toledo 3

Top 4:

Cade Martin homered.

Memphis 3, Little Rock 4

Top 5:

Kade Smith homered.

Memphis 3, Little Rock 5

Bottom 5:

James Smith IV grounded out, Javon Hernandez scored.

Memphis 4, Little Rock 5

Top 6:

Cooper Chaplain hit a sacrifice bunt, Cade Martin scored.

Jerdy Lopez singled, Jake McClure scored.

Memphis 4, Little Rock 7

Bottom 6:

Michael Gupton homered.

Javon Hernandez doubled, Parker Price scored.

Freddy Rodriguez singled, Javon Hernandez scored on play and a throwing error.

Memphis 7, Little Rock 7

Top 7:

Ty Rhoades singled, Kade Smith and Angel Cano scored.

Cooper Chaplain homered, Ty Rhoades and Ryan Geck scored.

Memphis 7, Little Rock 12

Bottom 7:

Seth Giamportone homered, Webb Watson scored.

Memphis 9, Little Rock 12

Bottom 8:

James Smith IV homered, Javon Hernandez scored.

Memphis 11, Little Rock 12

UP NEXT

The Tigers are back at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field on Friday evening at 5:05 p.m. for game one of the Grind City Classic against Ohio State.

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.