The Tigerpen

Tag: basketball

  • Tigers defeat Ole Miss in Mid-South Rematch

    Tigers defeat Ole Miss in Mid-South Rematch

    The University of Memphis defeated mid-south rival Ole Miss in their only midweek game Tuesday. This is the first time the Tigers have beaten Ole Miss since 2017. 

    The game was a back-and-forth early, with each team trading punches through the first four innings. The Tigers seemed to gain the upper hand after Will Marcy hit a SAC bunt to score two runs. Ole Miss wouldn’t respond to the play by Marcy until the seventh inning tying the score. The Tigers fired back with a five run spree in the bottom of the seventh to regain and extend their lead.

    Ole Miss Coach Mike Bianco looks onto the field. Ronald Todd/Tigerpen

    Austin Baskin made the first play by helping Jake Curtis score, making the score 5-4. Then Pierre Seals followed up with a hit and a passed ball to help the Tigers get another score. The major play came in the bottom of the seventh, when Jonah Sutton hit a double to get both Seals and Stuart home. Shane Cox solidified the lead with a single RBI give the Tigers a 9-4 lead. 

    Head Coach Matt Riser speaks to Shane Cox as he is about to be at bat. Ronald Todd/Tigerpen

    From that point on, the Tigers did not allow a single run from Ole Miss. Coach Riser was proud of the team for playing a complete game after losing the weekend series to FAU. He also acknowledged the role the crowd played in the energy of the dugout. 

    “I mean, there was a good atmosphere in the ballpark,” Riser said. “I thought they did a really good job of just not being too high, but using that electricity to make sure that they were in tune with what they were trying to get executed and get done.” 

    The Tigers head to Texas to face conference opponent Rice University in a weekend series. The first game will be on Friday at 6:30 p.m. 

  • Memphis Baseball Falls to No.21 Mississippi State in explosive offensive battle

    Memphis Baseball Falls to No.21 Mississippi State in explosive offensive battle

    Brock Busick/University of Memphis Athletics
    Memphis Tiger Pierre Seals scores Tuesday against Mississippi State on an RBI ground out by Jake Curtis.


    The Memphis Tigers baseball team lost against No.21  Mississippi State Tuesday at Dudy Noble Field by a score of 17-9. The win puts the Tigers a game under .500 (11-12) and Mississippi State improves to (16-6) on the season. 

    Cade Davis drew the start and had a solid performance through three innings, allowing three runs on four hits and tailing a strikeout. 

    “We did a good job coming out early and Cade Davis was pretty good,” Memphis head coach Matt Riser said. “I know he gave up a couple of homers but at the end of the day, I thought he pitched well.” 

    A double by Jacob Compton to right field led to Riley Davis’ single to third that drove in Compton and allowed Brennan DuBose to score and gave the Tigers a 3-2 lead after an error by the left fielder. That was the first error of the season for Logan Kohler and it came against his former Memphis team. 

    The Tigers took a 9-3 advantage in the fifth inning after a two-run double by Jacob Compton. Memphis tallied five consecutive hits at the top of the fifth to start the inning and had the Bulldogs on the ropes. 

    Seven hits in the fifth inning included five singles, one double, and a home run. Seth Cox hit a three-run home run to extend the Tiger’s lead, and then Compton doubled to center which drove in Austin Baskin and Daunte Stuart. 

    But the Bulldogs responded with seven runs of their own at the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 10-9 lead into the sixth. 

    Connor Hujsak drew a walk, which scored David Mershon from third with the bases loaded. Mississippi State Amari Larry (0-3) got his first hit of the night to tie the game 9-9. Then Johnny Long scored with the bases loaded as Dakota Jordan got hit.

    Memphis struggled to score after the fifth inning. While the Bulldogs added a run in the sixth and four runs in the seventh. Hujsak hit a home run with runners on second and third to put the Bulldogs up 15-9. 

    After the game, Coach Riser spoke of the team’s defense and miscommunication heading into the conference play. 

    “These middle innings are killing us, and we have to be better, not only on the mound but also defensively,” said coach Matt Riser. “We have to do a good job of getting some things fixed these next couple of days to get ready for conference play.” 

    UP NEXT 

    The Memphis Tigers are back in action Friday against South Florida in Tampa, Florida at Red McEwen Field. This marks the Tigers first conference series of the season. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+. 

  • Memphis Falls in Extra Innings to Jackson State

    Memphis Falls in Extra Innings to Jackson State

    The Tigers fell short in a back-and-forth affair against Jackson State, losing 6-4 in 10 innings. Memphis finishes the weekend 0-3 and has dropped five consecutive contests.  

    “At some point we have to pick ourselves up,” said head coach Matt Riser. “The good news is we have games coming up to prove ourselves different, but we have to get collectively back together as a team.” 

    The Tigers continued their offensive struggles, tallying just four hits in the game. The lone highlight came when Jacob Compton launched a two-run shot over the right field fence. The home run was Compton’s third of the weekend and eighth of the season, leading all hitters in the AAC. 

    Starting pitcher Caden Robinson put together a solid outing, allowing one earned run on four hits in five innings. Two unearned runs scored in his tenure, both coming from errors by shortstop Jake Curtis.  

    “I thought Caden pitched his way through some tough situations,” added Riser. “We did not make a lot of plays behind him, but he handled it well and kept us in the game.” 

    The Memphis bullpen had another strong showing, holding Jackson State to one run in six innings of regulation. Logan Rushing, Kylan Stepter and Brayden Sanders each contributed and kept the game alive for the Tigers. 

    After Memphis failed to score in the bottom of the ninth inning, Jackson State took the lead on an RBI double by second baseman Myles White and extended it with an RBI single from Robert Tate II.  

    The Tigers were unable to match Jackson State in the bottom half of the inning, going down in order.  

    After the defeat, Memphis holds a record of 7-10 on the season. The Tigers return to action on Tuesday, when they face the University of North Alabama Lions at FedEx Park at 6 p.m. 

  • 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.