University of Memphis Athletics
Friday, March 6
Memphis, Tenn.
3 p.m.
University of Memphis
7-14, 0-1
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South Florida
18-8, 1-0
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South Florida
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13
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Memphis
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6
4
Tigers Drop Doubleheader Against South Florida, Finale Pushed to Sunday
Mar 06, 2026 | Softball
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis (7-15, 0-2 American) softball team fell during its opening day of conference play against South Florida (19-8, 2-0 American) by scored of 9-4 and 12-3 Friday afternoon.
Memphis has also announced that the series finale against the Bulls will be moved to an 11 a.m. start on Sunday due to inclement weather expected on Saturday.
GAME ONE: Memphis 4, South Florida 9
HOW IT HAPPENED
HOW IT HAPPENED
Memphis will finish the opening weekend of American play on Sunday against the Bulls, with an 11 a.m. start.
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.
Memphis has also announced that the series finale against the Bulls will be moved to an 11 a.m. start on Sunday due to inclement weather expected on Saturday.
GAME ONE: Memphis 4, South Florida 9
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Memphis struck first in the opening game with a four-run third inning, all of which coming with two outs.
- Kayla Clement walked to lead off the inning and ended up at third on a Deana Cunningham sacrifice bunt and a passed ball.
- Clement scored on an RBI single off the bat of Neely Taylor.
- Taylor scored two batters later on a single by Faith Brown.
- Brown and Ariel Davis, who reached on a single, came in to score on a double by Jasmine Mack.
- South Florida responded the following half inning with four runs of its own.
- After Karhys Pierce and DaNia Brooks reached on single, Kiley Strott hit a three-run home run to cut Memphis' lead to one.
- The game was tied after a Kathy Garcia-Soto sacrifice fly scored Toryn Fulton, who tripled after the home run.
- Errors and free baserunners led to a second-consecutive four-run inning for the Bulls.
- After allowing the first two baserunners to reach, a Memphis error allowed one run to come home.
- The second run of the inning came in on a Strott sacrifice fly.
- A failed first-and-third situation by the Memphis defense led to a third run scoring.
- The fourth run scored on an RBI single by Garcia-Soto.
- South Florida extended its lead to five with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Alexa Galligani.
- In the circle, Avery Stutts struck out two over 3.2 innings of work, earning a no decision after being pulled with the game tied at four runs apiece.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Bulls opened the scoring in game two with an RBI single by Karhys Pierce in the first inning.
- South Florida added a pair of runs on a bases-loaded RBI groundout and a passed ball.
- Memphis cut into the deficit when Deana Cunningham attempted to sacrifice a runner over and ended up reaching on what became an RBI bunt single.
- After stranding two South Florida runners in the top of the 3rd, Memphis tied the game with two runs of its own in the third, coming on a two-RBI double by Aubrey Williams.
- The play chased South Florida starter, Belle Sardja, out of the game after 2.2 innings.
- South Florida added three runs in the fourth on two Memphis errors, with runs scoring on a botched rundown between third and home plate, an RBI sacrifice bunt and a fielding error.
- The Bulls brought in four runs in the fifth on a two-RBI single, an RBI double and an RBI single.
- South Florida brought its lead up to nine runs with a two-RBI double by Olivia Eliott.
- Memphis has now lost its last five conference openers.
- The last victory in the opening game of conference play was a 9-8 win at home against East Carolina in 2022.
- Kennedy Semien was 2-for-4 in the doubleheader, drawing a walk and recording Memphis' only stolen base.
- Semien now sits tied for second on the team with 16 hits on the year.
- She also leads the team in walks with 11.
- Kayla Clement was also 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored.
- Faith Brown finished her day with two hits, an RBI and three runs scored in the pair of losses.
- Brown is now hitting .341 on the season, becoming the third Tiger with 10-plus RBI and joining Ariel Davis as the only Tigers with at least 10 runs and RBI.
- Neely Taylor was 2-for-6 on the day, logging an RBI and two runs scored.
- Taylor has eclipsed the 10-runs-scored mark, sitting at a .317 batting average.
- Jasmine Mack finished 1-for-4 throughout the day, with her lone hit being a two-RBI double.
- Mack now moves into the team lead with her fifth double of the season.
- Aubrey Williams logged one hit, a two-RBI double that tied the game in the early stages of the second leg of the doubleheader.
- Williams now sits at eight hits, eight RBI and seven runs scored on the year.
- Williams now sits at eight hits, eight RBI and seven runs scored on the year.
Memphis will finish the opening weekend of American play on Sunday against the Bulls, with an 11 a.m. start.
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.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: ERNST, CARLEY (2-3)
L: Tate, Jericho (2-3)
Batting:
2B: WILKES, ALEX 1 ; ELLIOTT, OLIVIA 1 ; DEWATERS, ABBIE 1
RBI: PIERCE, KARHYS 2 ; GALLIGANI, ALEXA 3 ; WILKES, ALEX 2 ; ELLIOTT, OLIVIA 2
SH: WILKES, ALEX 1 ; GARCIA-SOTO, KATHY 1
Base Running:
RUNS: CHIN, GRACE 1 ; GALLIGANI, ALEXA 2 ; WILKES, ALEX 1 ; ELLIOTT, OLIVIA 2 ; DEWATERS, ABBIE 2 ; GARCIA-SOTO, KATHY 2 ; FULTON, TORYN 1 ; STROTT, KILEY 1
SB: PIERCE, KARHYS 1 ; GALLIGANI, ALEXA 1 ; GARCIA-SOTO, KATHY 1
HBP: PIERCE, KARHYS 1 ; WILKES, JOCELYN 1 ; WILKES, KACEY 1
Batting:
2B: Williams, Aubrey 1
RBI: Cunningham, Deana 1 ; Williams, Aubrey 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Taylor, Neely 1 ; Brown, Faith 2
HBP: Brown, Faith 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball2B/SS
/ SoftballSS
/ Softball
2B/SS
/ Softball
C/UTL
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
RHP/INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
SS/2B
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