HOUSTON – After late inning rallies to tie or take the lead in each of the first two games of the series, the Memphis Tigers (18-18, 4-8) scored four times over the final three innings Sunday, but it wasn't enough in a 7-5 loss to the Houston Cougars (26-14, 7-5). The Tigers trailed by four runs on two occasions and never led, as the Cougars took the rubber match and won the series despite falling in the opener.
Memphis: 5, Houston: 7
WP: Nathan Medrano (5-3)
LP: Blake Wimberley (2-5)
SV: Ben Sears (8)
How it happened:
- The Cougars scored in the opening frame for the third straight game, though Houston tagged Wimberley for only one run in the first after they scored two and four respectively in the first inning of the first two games
- Wimberley settled in, as he didn't allow another run until the fifth, though he didn't make it through the inning
- Memphis tied the game in the fourth, as the Tigers loaded the bases with nobody out, but only got one run, as LF Ian Bibiloni grounded into a run-scoring double play, while 2B Austin Baskin struck out to end the inning
- With the game tied 1-1 entering the home half of the fifth inning, Wimberley quickly retired the first two batters of the frame, but then allowed five straight to reach base
- Houston loaded the bases on a double and two walks, while 1B Ryan Hernandez put the Cougars in front for good with a grand slam to left field, which made it 5-1 Houston
- Like they did in each of the first two games of the series, the Tigers fought back in the final third of the game, as 1B Chris Swanberg had an RBI double and C Taylor Howell had an RBI groundout in the seventh, which cut the deficit to 5-3
- Houston answered right away against LHP JT Durham, as the Cougars went single, RBI double, RBI double to open the seventh, which pushed the lead back to four runs at 7-3 and knocked Durham out of the game
- Swanberg had an RBI single in the eighth that made it 7-4, and Sears put the tying runs on base in the ninth, with an RBI groundout by SS Ben Brooks that made it 7-5, but the Houston closer got DH Jacob Compton to ground out, which secured the win and the series for the Cougars
Notables:
- After six hits over the first two games of the series, Bibiloni went 0-3 with a HBP, which ended his nine-game hit streak but extended his on-base streak to 10
- CF Zach Wilson (2-5) and RF Blake Daniels (1-4) each extended their hit streaks to eight games, while Daniels has reached base in 13 straight contests
Up Next:
- The Tigers will return home for midweek matchups Tuesday and Wednesday vs.