Run Producing Struggles Continue for Tigers

Wednesday, April 2

Nashville, Tenn.

2 PM

University of Memphis

16-18

Tennessee State

11-21

Memphis

Tennessee State Univ

Freshman Kailey Kassner went 2-for-3 with a double and a homer in the second game of a doubleheader on Wednesday.

Apr 02, 2008 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

April 2, 2008

Box Score |  Notes

For Immediate Release
Contact: Brandon Kolditz
wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 871-5475

Game One
Memphis  000 000  0 - 0  4  1
TSU      200 011  x - 4  5  1
WP: Vaught (10-13) LP: Bossom (7-8)
2B: (TSU) Perkins (5)

Game Two
Memphis (16-19)  000 101 0 - 2  7  0
TSU (12-21)      000 030 x - 3  3  1
WP: Weber (2-3) LP: McClinton (2-3) SV: Vaught (1)
2B: (MEM) Kassner (3)
HR: (MEM) Kassner (4)

Game One Box Score in PDF Format
Game Two Box Score in PDF Format

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The University of Memphis softball team received solid efforts in the circle but dropped both games of a doubleheader with Tennessee State at Tiger Field in Nashville on Wednesday. Memphis (16-19) managed only two runs in the two games, falling 4-0 and 3-2.

In back-to-back outings, pitcher Rayna McClinton (2-3) has been impressive for the U of M as a starter. Coming off a two-hit loss to No. 9 Houston, the freshman retired the first 10 TSU batters in order to begin game two of the double dip. McClinton allowed three runs on three hits and matched a career best with six strikeouts.

Freshman Kimber Bossom (7-8) also had a strong start for Memphis in game one with zero run support. The RHP allowed three earned runs on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

For only the fourth time this season, the U of M lost after scoring the first run in the game and out hitting its opponent. Memphis is 13-4 when scoring first and 15-4 when collecting more hits. The U of M put the lead off runner on with a base hit in each of the first four innings and twice advanced a runner to third, but scored only once on a solo homer.

Memphis scored its first run of the day in the fourth inning of game two to take a 1-0 lead. Kailey Kassner hit her fourth home run of the season with a solo bomb over the center field fence. The freshman finished the game 2-for-3 with a double and a homer.

Kassner had begun her at-bat in the fourth by laying down a sacrifice bunt on the first pitch after junior Kimmi Hayden had singled to lead off the inning. But Hayden was called out for leaving early and the play was ruled dead allowing Kassner to hit the home run.

Tennessee State had a three-run fifth inning to take a 3-1 lead. After singles by Royesha Goodman and Melanie Cruz and a walk to Lauren Weber loaded the bases with no outs, TSU scored two runs on RBI walks and a third on a sacrifice fly by Jennifer Gregory.

Sophomore Sara Schneider scored in the sixth inning to bring Memphis within one, but Amanda Vaught pitched a perfect seventh to preserve the Tennessee State victory.

For the second-straight year, Vaught (10-13) threw a shutout against Memphis. The senior held the U of M to four hits with 10 strikeouts after blanking the team last year in Memphis 1-0 on three hits.

Memphis never advanced a runner past second base in the game as the team stranded five base runners. The U of M had a game high two runners on in the second inning.

Tennessee State took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Gregory led off with a single to center and was followed by a walk to Bridget Metzger. After Brittany Webb advanced the runners a base on a groundout, Goodman hit a two-out two-run single to the right side.

TSU added a run in the fifth inning on a RBI single to right field by Gregory to score Cruz from second. Gregory finished the game 2-for-3.

The scoring was capped with a fourth run in the sixth inning on a fielding error that scored Tamara Perkins from third after she had led off the inning with a double.

Memphis returns home to host a conference three-game series with UTEP at the Tiger Softball Complex on Saturday and Sunday. The two teams will play a doubleheader at 1 and 3 p.m. on Saturday and complete the series at noon on Sunday.