The Tigerpen

Author: Roshawn Miller

  • The Hard Hitter :Pierre Seals

    Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

    Memphis Tigers’ outfielder Pierre Seals shines brightly amidst a season filled with both triumphs and challenges for the team.  Seals was recently named to the ACC honor roll after an outstanding performance in the Tigers weekend series against conference leader at the time University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA). 

    In the UTSA series Seals recorded two hits and two Rbi on Friday (highest on the team), three hits with an RBI on Saturday and Sunday he totaled two hits and his ninth home run of the season tying him with teammate Jacob Compton for the most on the team.

    For that week Seals lead the league in hitting with a.583(7-for-12) batting average.  He scored four runs totaling 13 bases over the week. “I give the credit all to our coaches with the approaches we have.” Said Seals “Just prepping us for the game and giving us a plan so I just try to execute within the plan they give us.”

    Seals started his college career at Dyersburg State Community College where he committed to in high school.  In high school he was ranked #27 in the state of Tennessee and top 500 in the nation for the class of 2021.  At Dyersburg he would play in a total of 97 games 44 in his freshman season and 53 in this sophomore with a total batting average of .268 for his time there.

    Seals credits his older teammate with easing his transition to Memphis by constantly offering him advice on the game and their system.  With the addition of a new head coach everyone had to adjust and that also grew their bonds.

    Now in his first year with the Tigers he leads the team in multiple categories including home runs with nine, batting average .328 and stolen bases with 13 on the season. 

    “Of course, I think I had the talent, but I think my coaches really helped put it all together, just staying with my approach knowing what I’m good at and my ability had helped me evolve as a player,” said Seals.

    Seals has been a consistent bright spot for the Tigers in a turbulent season but knows there are still some parts of his game that can improve. “  My pitch recognition and swing and miss ratio, being able to recognize pitch is a thing to make sure I’m getting all the right pitches to swing at and being aggressive when I need to be.” Said Seals

    Through the ups and downs of this seasons Seals stays focus by not letting the highs get too high and the lows get to and keeping a level head by remembering it’s just baseball.  “Our coaches always talk about trusting the process, so just staying with the team playing for the team.” Said Seals “Staying consistent with focus day by day and going about it as a professional.”

    With the season winding down and the Tigers’ still sitting 4 games below .500 Seals will for sure be a key piece in making a late season push.

    “The key is to continue to work and execute the plan that the coaches have for us and stay consistent.” Said Seals.

  • Tigers split Saturday Doubleheader with UNO

    Tigers split Saturday Doubleheader with UNO

    The University of Memphis Tiger split their doubleheader against the University of New Orleans Privateers on Saturday.  The Tigers now move to an 11-11 record on the season and the Privateers to 9-10.

    Brock Busick/Memphis Baseball

    The Tigers dropped game one early in the afternoon 6-1 with their only run coming from a RBI by Austin Baskin in the third bringing Alex Fernandes home.  They would fail to score the rest of the game while the Privateers scored in the first, second, fourth, seventh and eighth innings. 

    “We ran into a good arm, and he did a really good job keeping us off balance” said head coach Matt Riser “We had to reset for game two and I thought the guys did a fantastic job of that.”

    After a disappointing game on reset is exactly what the Tigers did, winning game two 12-10 in a game where they tripled their hit totals from game one.  Both teams would come out scoreless in the first inning which would one of only two scoreless innings by the tigers this game.

    The Tigers were able to get on the board first after scoring three run in the second inning headed off by a RBI from Will Macy allowing Pierre Seals to score.  Seth Cox would follow with 2 RBI allowing Fernandes and Brennan DuBose to score, already tripling their runs from game one. 

    They also held the Privateers to no runs until the fourth inning but by then the Tigers had tacked on three more runs. Two runs in the third from a homer by Daunte Stuart and a home stolen by Seals and one run in third from a Baskin home run which was his third in the season.  The Privateers scored their first two run in fourth making the score 6-2 at the close of the inning.

    In the fifth the Tigers wouldn’t score, but only allowed one run from the Privateers keeping them at bay for the moment.  But in the sixth after only allowing one run from the Tigers the Privateers would rally and scored four runs tying the score at 7-7 going into the seventh.

    DuBose put the Tigers on the board with a single RBI that scored Seals and the Tigers defense would hold off the Privateers allowing no runs and taking a 8-7 lead headed into the eighth.  Tiger scored two runs in the eighth inning a RBI by Jacob Compton and seals giving the Tigers a three run lead. 

    The Privateers would answer with three runs of their own including another two-run home run by Mitchell Sanford, the same play that tied the game in the sixth now tied the game heading into the ninth.

    After two outs defensive replacement Shane Cox would get his first and only at bat in the game and he singled into left field this allow both Baskin and Tyler Heckert to score opening a 10-12 lead late.  The Tigers defense came out and held the Privateers to nothing in the ninth after a pick off at first by Dubose and Brayden Sanders stuck out the final out of the game earing his second save of series and fifth on the season.

    The Tigers will  head to Starkville, Mississippi on Tuesday to face off against the 14-6 Mississippi State for a midweek game at 6 p.m.

  • Tigers Win Second Game in a Row after 5 Game Losing Streak

    Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

    The University of Memphis Tigers beat the Arkansas State Red Wolves 13-7 in Jonesboro on Wednesday advancing to a 9-10 record.  This is the Tigers second consecutive win following a five-game losing streak they broke Tuesday.

    “I thought we did a really good job of putting back-to-back strong midweek games together,” said head coach Matt Riser. “To get back on track and sweep a pair of different midweek opponents was good to see.”

    To start the game the Tigers allowed three runs to cross, but would get three quick outs to close the top of the inning.  The Tigers would respond with six runs in the bottom of the inning.  Of those six runs, four came from long balls. Pierre Seals fired a homer to left field bringing himself, Jacob Compton, and Austin Baskin all the way around diamond.  Immediately following, Seth Cox would bring himself home with a single run homer out to left field.

    Tigers would only allow one run in the second and would end the top of the inning with a pick off at second base.  Then after two early outs Daunte Stuart would hit a home run to bring himself and Baskin home. Cox would later hit a single into left field allowing Compton to score.  The Tigers would later close the inning with a 9-4 lead.

    Arkansas State came out in the third and scored two runs of their own, but Memphis would match them with a double from Will Marcy that brought home Jake Curtis.  Then, Austin Baskin smacked a ball to right field allowing Marcy to run home.

    Both Memphis and Arkansas State would go scoreless for the next three innings and the Red Wolves wouldn’t be able to score again until the ninth inning.  The Tigers were able to break their scoreless streak in the seventh with two runs from Stuart and Compton.

    After a five-game losing streak, the Tigers were finally able to pickup some wins in these midweek games.  The Tigers head to New Orleans, Louisiana to play the University of New Orleans  in a three game weekend series starting Friday.

  • Memphis Run Rules Central Arkansas with Record-Tying Home Runs

    Memphis Run Rules Central Arkansas with Record-Tying Home Runs

    The University of Memphis baseball team won their home opener Wednesday against Central Arkansas 14-4 in eight innings. The Tigers came into this game with a 1-3 record after 10-4 loss to the Little Rock Trojans.

    Memphis came out looking to improve after the loss the day before. The Tigers tied the program record for home runs, totaling seven in the game, the most since 2001.

    “It was important to come back like we did and defend our home turf,” coach Matt Riser said. “We’re continuing to learn on the fly as we go forward.”

    Roshawn Miller/Tigerpen Memphis
    Tiger Pierre Seals celebrates his second home run of the day against Central Arkansas on Wednesday. Seals and the Tigers recorded a record-tying seven home runs in the 14-4 win.

    Central Arkansas took an early 3-0 lead in the second inning, but Memphis would respond with a home run from Pierre Seals that scored teammate Daunte Stuart to close the lead to 3-2.  The Tigers closed the door on Central Arkansas, allowing only one run for the remainder of the game. 

    Senior Jake Curtis would perform on both sides of the ball, totaling three hits, including a double and a home run. He also took the mound in the seventh inning and tallied three strikeouts.

    “Every player on this team gives me confidence,” said Curtis. We had a bad day yesterday, but it’s all about the bounce back.”

     Memphis had six players get multiple hits, and Coach Riser loved it after being “bullied” by Arkansas Little Rock. Senior third baseman Austin Baskin recorded a team high four RBIs, with two hits, both being home runs in four at bats. 

    Brennan DuBose celebrates home run during the Tigers win over Central Arkansas on Wednesday.

    “It felt great after last night to be able to come in and find barrels left and right”, Baskin said. “We knew coming into the park today that with the wind blowing all we had to do was get it up in the air.”

    CJ Willis would close the game for Memphis on a pinch-hit RBI double to extend the lead to 14-4, ending the game in eight innings. 

    Memphis tallied a total of 17 hits in the game, while also collecting 43 total bases from seven home runs, five doubles, five singles, the second most since 2010.

    The Tigers will return to FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m., as they face Bowling Green in the first game of three in a weekend series at home.