Tigers Drop Game One Against UT-Martin

The Memphis Tigers lost game one of their two-game series Tuesday against the UT-Martin Skyhawks 10-7, dropping them to a 4-5 record on the season.

“We just have to find consistency,” said coach Matt Riser. “Either that or get these games off ESPN+, because these last two have been just terrible.”

On a windy afternoon at FedEx Park, the game started out promising for Memphis. The Tigers took an early 3-0 lead, thanks to an Austin Baskin RBI single in the first inning and a two-run home run by Pierre Seals in the second inning.

Cade Davis took the mound as the starter for the Tigers and was able to keep the Skyhawks at bay through the first four innings, only allowing a solo home run in the third inning.

UT-Martin gave the run back in the fourth inning via another home run by Pierre Seals. The solo shot gave the Memphis native his fourth home run of the season and his second multi-home run game of the season.

Unfortunately, the Skyhawks plated seven runs in the fifth inning, and Cade Davis was pulled from the game, giving him a final stat line of nine hits, eight runs (seven earned), one walk, and five strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

“I thought Cade was fine. We just have to play better defense behind him.” Riser said. “Our defensive philosophy is to eliminate the big inning, and when you do what we did, not playing defense behind our pitcher and give up a seven-run inning, it makes it extremely difficult.”

Reliever Seth Cole ended the fifth inning and began the sixth inning for the Tigers, but he was later pulled after giving up two more runs to UT-Martin extending their lead to 10-4 .

Jackson Lyons took over ending the sixth inning, and pitching two more, giving up only one hit and one walk in his time on the mound.

First baseman Jacob Compton cut into the Skyhawks lead in the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run over the video board in right field to make it a 10-5 game. It was the Olive Branch native’s third home run of the season.

NC State transfer Will Marcy added another solo home run, his first with the Tigers, to make it 10-6 in the seventh inning.

Relievers Brandon Chorzelewski and Kylan Stepter got the last four UT-Martin batters out with ease to give the Tigers a chance at some late-inning runs.

Catcher Brennan DuBose gave the fans hope, continuing his hot streak with a solo home run in the ninth to make it 10-7. Unfortunately, that was all the team could muster in the ninth inning.

The Tigers have a chance to split the series with UT-Martin on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at FedEx Park.