Tigers blanked 5-0 by Tulane

Saturday, April 24

Memphis, Tenn.

4 p.m.

University of Memphis

12-25, 2-13

Tulane

20-13, 9-1

Tulane

Memphis

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Apr 24, 2021 | Baseball

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Behind 7.1 shutout innings from Donovan Benoit (W, 3-1), the Tulane Green Wave shut out the Memphis Tigers 5-0 Saturday. The Tigers, who were swept by the Green Wave in Friday's doubleheader, managed eight hits, one fewer than Tulane, but didn't tally an extra-base hit and went just 2-16 with runners on base, 0-4 with runners in scoring position.

Tulane staked Benoit to an immediate lead, as Collin Burns led off the game with a solo home run off of Jackson Cothren (L, 1-6). The Memphis starter issued a leadoff walk to Chase Engelhard in the second inning and gave up an RBI single to Jared Hart three batters later. While Cothren settled in and kept the Tigers within striking distance over 5.1 frames, the Memphis offense couldn't get anything going.

The Tigers got a leadoff hit from Braden Webb in the first and a one-out single from Ian Bibiloni in the second, though neither advanced into scoring position. After Bibiloni's single, Benoit retired 12 straight, which included eight strikeouts over the stretch. Benoit struck out 11 and didn't see a runner reach second base against him until the sixth frame.

Memphis' best scoring opportunity came in the sixth, a half inning after Tulane doubled the lead to 4-0 on RBIs from Luis Aviles and Simon Baumgardt. Trailing 4-0, Webb snapped Benoit's 12 consecutive batters retired streak with his second single of the day and advanced to third on a two-out hit from Hunter Goodman. With men on the corners and two outs, Benoit struck out Taylor Howell and ended the threat.

Benoit pitched into the eighth and departed for David Bates with runners on first and second and one out. Bates quickly struck out Goodman and got Howell to foul out, as the Tigers remained scoreless. In the ninth, Bibiloni and Austin Baskin each picked up a single, but the pair were left at the corners, as Bates struck out Evan Bell to wrap up Tulane's 5-0 victory.

In Sunday's series finale, the Tigers will try to avoid getting swept for the second time in conference play. Chris Durham (2-4, 4.31) is set to pitch for Memphis. The southpaw allowed four runs on eight hits in a loss to the Green Wave on April 3. For Tulane, Tyler Hoffman (2-1, 3.00) is scheduled to get the start. Hoffman, who pitched in Tulane's last loss, a 4-3 defeat at home vs. Memphis on April 1, will try to pitch the Green Wave to a 10^th straight win. Hoffman allowed three runs on five hits over six innings in his no-decision vs. the Tigers to begin April. First pitch of the series finale is set for 1 p.m. and will be available on ESPN+.