Memphis can’t slow down UCF in 13-6 loss

Saturday, May 1

Orlando, Fla.

3 p.m.

University of Memphis

13-28, 0

UCF

21-22, 0

Memphis

UCF

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

May 01, 2021 | Baseball

Box Score

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Memphis Tigers couldn't keep pace with the UCF Knights Saturday, as the hometown team scored in six of its eight trips to the plate in Memphis' 13-6 loss. Despite an early 1-0 lead and three-hit, multi-RBI games from Taylor Howell and Ben Brooks, Tigers' pitching wasn't able to slow the UCF offense, as all five Tigers who took the mound allowed at least one run.

Memphis (13-28, 3-16) scored first for the first time in the series, as Brooks reached on a second inning error that plated Alec Trela and made it 1-0 Memphis. UCF quickly responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning off of Jackson Cothren (ND), as consecutive RBI hits from Ben McCabe and Pablo Ruiz put the Knights in front 2-1 after two innings.

After Cothren set down UCF (21-22, 9-8) in order in the third inning, the Knights scored in each of their next five innings at the plate. The Tigers tied the game 2-2 in the fourth on an RBI single by Brooks, but Cothren hit the first man that he faced in the home half of the inning and then walked the next, which ended his afternoon. Bailey Wimberley (L, 2-1) entered for the Tigers and retired the first two men that he faced. UCF's two-out hitting prowess proved to be too much, as Nick Romano plated two runs with a double while Andrew Brait followed with an RBI single. Cothren gave up four runs on two hits over 3+ innings in the no decision, while Wimberley was charged with three runs on three hits over two frames in the loss. UCF led 5-2 after four frames.

The Tigers tied the game and took Cothren off the hook with three runs in the fifth against Ben Vespi (W, 2-0), who relieved AJ Jones (ND) to start the inning. Braden Webb began the frame with a single, while UCF intentionally walked Hunter Goodman with one out and first base open. After Vespi retired Trela, Ian Bibiloni drew a walk, which loaded the bases. Howell picked two RBIs with a single, while Brooks followed with an RBI base hit that tied the game 5-5. Memphis soon trailed once again and never retook the lead, as UCF scored the game's next eight runs.

A leadoff walk issued by Wimberley proved to be costly in the fifth, as Josh Crouch took the free pass, advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt, moved to third base on a single, and scored on a sacrifice fly from McCabe. UCF took a 6-5 lead, one they never relinquished.

The Knights began to pull away with crooked numbers in the sixth, seventh, and eighth frames. In the sixth, Jordan Rathbone and Crouch connected with consecutive two-out RBI hits off of Dalton Kendrick. In the seventh, four of the first five batters of the inning reached against Kendrick, as Brait plated a run with an RBI single and Kendrick departed the game for Drew Edwards after just one more batter. Errors on consecutive plays by Brooks and Goodman each plated a run, as UCF led 11-5 after seven innings. The Knights added two more in the eighth against JT Durham, while Goodman connected with his AAC-best 13^th home run in the top of the ninth, a solo shot, as the UCF bullpen closed out a 13-6 win.

Sunday's series finale gives the Tigers a chance to earn their first conference series split of the season. Blake Wimberley (2-5, 5.33) is slated to start for Memphis. The righty went seven innings and allowed five runs last time out in a loss to Tulane. For the Knights, Jack Sinclair (2-4, 5.18) is expected to get the nod on the mound. In his last outing, Sinclair allowed just one run on four hits across seven innings in a win at ECU. It was just the second time this season that the righty had recorded an out beyond five innings. First pitch of the series finale is set for 11 a.m. on ESPN+.