Memphis Rallies for Stunning 11-9 Victory Over Cougars

Friday, April 22

Houston, Texas

6:30 P.M.

University of Memphis

18-16, 0

Houston

24-14, 0

Memphis

Houston

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Memphis Rallies for Stunning 11-9 Victory Over Cougars

Apr 22, 2022 | Baseball

Box Score

HOUSTON – Trailing 9-7 with the bases empty and two outs in the top of the ninth inning, the Memphis Tigers (18-16, 4-6) had five straight batters reach base and score four times against Houston Cougars (24-14, 5-5) RHP Ben Sears (L, 5-2), who entered the night as one of the premiere closers in the nation and hadn't allowed more than two runs in an outing all season. The Cougars took the 9-7 lead into the ninth inning despite losing a 6-0 lead early in the series opener.

Memphis: 11, Houston: 9
WP: Jacob Gilmore (1-2)
LP: Ben Sears (5-2)
SV: Dalton Kendrick (7)

How it happened:

Houston took a 2-0 lead in the opening inning on a two-run double by RF Alex Lopez
The Cougars scored four times in the second off of RHP Landon Gartman (ND) and led 6-0 after two innings
Memphis' first comeback effort started in the third, as RF Blake Daniels led off the inning with a single, LF Ian Bibiloni followed with a double, and both scored on groundouts, while DH Jacob Compton's two-out RBI triple pulled Memphis within three, 6-3
Daniels' RBI single in the fourth off of RHP Jaycob Deese (ND) made it a two-run game, while 1B Chris Swanberg tied the game 6-6 in the fifth with a two-out, two-strike, two-run single off of RHP Maddux Miller
After losing a six-run lead, the Cougars immediately retook the lead, as SS Ian McMillan connected on a two-out, two-run home run, which put Houston back in front 8-6
A sixth inning leadoff double in the sixth by 2B Brandon Burckel paired with a groundout and wild pitch led to a run that made it 9-6 Houston after six innings
Compton's one-out solo blast to right field in the seventh pulled Memphis within two at 9-7, where the game stood until the ninth
After Sears retired the first two hitters in the ninth, five straight Tigers reached base against the Houston closer
2B Austin Baskin started the rally with a single, Swanberg walked on five pitches, just the second walk issued by Sears in nearly 40 innings this season, C Brennan DuBose made it a one run game with an RBI double, Daniels's fourth hit of the game, a two-run double, put Memphis in front 10-9, while Bibiloni's third double and fourth hit of the night made it 11-9 Memphis
Kendrick issued a one-out walk and gave up a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth, but the left-handed reliever caught CF Tab Tracy looking at a fastball down the middle that ended the game, as Houston left the tying runners on base in the 11-9 Memphis come-from-behind win

Notables:

The six-run come-from-behind win was the largest for the Tigers this season
With four hits, Bibiloni matched his career high, also set against Houston in 2021
Bibiloni also extended his hit streak to eight games and is 14-29 over that stretch
Daniels' four hits were a new season high and extended his on-base streak to 11 games
With two hits and two RBIs, Compton now has 12 multi-hit games and eight multi-RBI games on the season, both tied for the most on the team

Up Next:

The Tigers and Cougars are set for the middle game of the series at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, with the finale scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday
Memphis will return home for midweek matchups Tuesday and Wednesday vs. Mississippi Valley State and Arkansas – Pine Bluff

How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Baseball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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Houston

L, 4-5

Apr 23 (Sat)

6:30 P.M.

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Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Gilmore, Jacob (1-2)

L: SEARS, Ben (5-2)

S: Kendrick, Dalton (7)

Memphis

Batting:

2B: DuBose, Brennan 1 ; Daniels, Blake 1 ; Bibiloni, Ian 3

3B: Compton, Jacob 1

HR: Compton, Jacob 1

RBI: Wilson, Zach 1 ; Kohler, Logan 1 ; Compton, Jacob 2 ; Swanberg, Chris 2 ; DuBose, Brennan 1 ; Daniels, Blake 3 ; Bibiloni, Ian 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Webb, Braden 1 ; Brooks, Ben 2 ; Compton, Jacob 1 ; Baskin, Austin 1 ; Swanberg, Chris 2 ; DuBose, Brennan 1 ; Daniels, Blake 2 ; Bibiloni, Ian 1