MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Behind three innings with multiple runs, the Memphis Tigers (11-5) picked up a 9-4 win over the Southern Illinois-Edwardsville Cougars (10-7) Saturday. The Tigers plated two in the first, three in the third, and three in the eighth to level the series and set up a rubber match Sunday.
Memphis: 9, SIUE: 4
WP: Dalton Fowler (1-1)
LP: Collin Baumgartner (2-1)
SV: N/A
How it happened:
- An RBI double by 3B Connor Kiffer gave SIUE a 1-0 lead after half an inning, though the Tigers answered with two runs in the home half of the inning on a groundout by SS Ben Brooks and sacrifice fly from 2B Austin Baskin
- DH Jacob Compton launched a three-run home run in the third, as his third home run of the season put Memphis in front 5-1
- After a leadoff single in the fourth, Fowler gave up a two-run home run to RF Avery Owusu-Asiedu, which cut Memphis' lead to 5-3, though the Tigers answered again, this time with a run on a groundout by CF Zach Wilson in the home half of the fourth and led 6-3
- SIUE got consecutive doubles in the fifth by CF Brett Johnson and Kiffer, the latter of which plated a run, but that was the final run of the game for the Cougars
- After five innings from Fowler, RHP Blake Wimberley faced just one over the minimum across three-scoreless innings, while LHP Dalton Kendrick stranded two men in scoring position in a scoreless ninth that closed out the 9-4 Memphis win
- The Tigers put three insurance runs on the board in the eighth, as Baskin scored on a wild pitch, LF Ian Bibiloni scored on an error, and RF Sterling Turmon drew a bases loaded walk, which made it 9-4, the eventual final
Notables:
- Brooks (BB) and Baskin (2 2B) each extended their on-base streak to 16 games
- With a two-hit day, RF Blake Daniels lengthened his hit streak to six games
- Compton's three-run home run made it four multi-RBI games on the season for the sophomore, his third with at least three RBIs
Up Next:
- The Tigers and Cougars will meet in the rubber match of the series Sunday at 1 p.