Tigers’ Comeback not Enough as Houston Walks-Off 5-4

Saturday, April 23

Houston, Texas

6:30 P.M.

University of Memphis

18-17, 0

Houston

25-14, 0

Memphis

Houston

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Tigers’ Comeback not Enough as Houston Walks-Off 5-4

Apr 23, 2022 | Baseball

Box Score

HOUSTON – A night after they scored four runs with two outs in the ninth inning to rally for a 9-7 win, the Memphis Tigers (18-17, 4-7) rallied to tie the game with three runs in the eighth inning, only for the Houston Cougars (25-14, 6-5) to get a walk-off home run from C Anthony Tulimero in the bottom of the ninth inning in a 5-4 Houston win. The Tigers had two runners in scoring position with one out in the ninth, but RHP Ben Sears (W, 6-2), who gave up all four ninth inning runs in Saturday's loss, stranded both runners and set up the walk-off opportunity.

Memphis: 4, Houston: 5
WP: Ben Sears (6-2)
LP: Daniel Casto (2-1)
SV: N/A

How it happened:

For the second straight night, Houston had a big first inning, as the Cougars scored four runs off of LHP Dalton Fowler (ND)
Fowler and Casto kept the Cougars off the board for the next seven innings, which kept Memphis in the game and allowed the Tigers to rally
Memphis struck against LHP Kyle LaCalameto (ND) on a sacrifice fly from 3B Logan Kohler in the third inning, but the left-handed starter didn't allow another run over his seven-inning outing
The starters turned the game over to the bullpens with Houston in front 3-1 heading into the top of the eighth, and for the second straight day, it was a big late inning for the Tigers
RHP Derrick Cherry relieved LaCalameto to start the eighth, and after the righty retired the first man that he faced, DH Jacob Compton hit his second home run in as many days, which pulled Memphis within two, 4-2
LF Ian Bibiloni followed with a double, his second hit of the day and sixth of the series, while 1B Chris Swanberg drew a walk, which forced the Cougars back to the bullpen
In relief of Cherry, RHP Jackson Dannelley came in and got PH Sterling Turmon to line out to right field, but with two strikes, RF Blake Daniels lined a game-tying two-run single to right field, the second straight night Daniels had a late-game two-out, two-strike, two-run hit
After Casto worked around a leadoff walk and stranded the go-ahead run at third base in the bottom of the eighth, CF Zach Wilson led off the ninth against LHP Cameron Prayer with a single, while Prayer then hit Kohler, which put two on with no outs
Sears, who imploded in the loss Friday night, got SS Ben Brooks to ground out, which put men at second and third, then got Compton on an infield pop out on a 2-0 pitch before the righty got Bibiloni to fly out to centerfield, as Memphis left the go-ahead run at third base
Casto struck out RF Alex Lopez to begin the bottom of the ninth, but Tulimero launched the 1-2 pitch over the left field wall for a walk-off home run, which gave Houston the 5-4 win

Notables:

With two more hits Saturday, Bibiloni has six hits over the first two games of the series and a nine-game hit streak
Daniels and Wilson each had two hits, as both extended their hit streaks to seven games, while Daniels has now reached base in 12 straight games

Up Next:

Memphis and Houston are set for the series' rubber match, scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday
The Tigers 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.