Tigers Walk Off in Extra Innings to Beat UT Martin and Win Second Straight

Friday, March 1

Memphis, Tenn.

3 PM

University of Memphis

2-13

UT Martin

8-8

UT Martin

Memphis

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Tigers Walk Off in Extra Innings to Beat UT Martin and Win Second Straight

Mar 01, 2024 | Softball

Box Score

By: Delaney Golden

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis softball team notched its second-straight win on Friday night, defeating UT Martin 7-6 in 11 innings at Tiger Softball Complex in Memphis, Tennessee.

The Tigers (2-13) took an early lead, going up 6-3 in the bottom of the second inning before the Skyhawks (8-8) tied it back up in the top of the sixth frame. Memphis and UT Martin needed four extra innings before Zoe Adebayo hit a walk-off single back up the middle to clinch the win.

"It was a really great game on both sides. I think we found a way to gut it out and it really took everybody," head coach Stephanie VanBrakle Prothro said. "It's going to take everybody to keep believing and keep trusting in this process and I thought that we did that tonight. We definitely want to keep that momentum going through the weekend."

Memphis 7, UT Martin 6

HOW IT HAPPENED

•       UT Martin got on the board first as Kaci Fuller scored on a Memphis error in the top of the first frame. Alli Robinson and Avery Blume also came home to give the Skyhawks a 3-0 lead.
•       Zoe Adebayo singled up the middle sending in Arianna Cox-Cole in the bottom of the first inning, cutting the deficit to two.
•       In the bottom of the second inning, Madison Berner stepped up to the plate and hit a two-out single up the middle that scored Kelsie Adams. Khamiyah Brown followed that up with another single, sending in Cox-Cole to tie the game. McKaylee Polk then homered to center field putting the Tigers up 6-3.
•       The Skyhawks put up three more runs in the top of the sixth inning. Fuller singled up the middle sending in Anna Hazlewood, leading to a pair of bases-loaded walks by Dylan Scott and Fuller to force in another pair.
•       Polk singled to left field advancing Brown into scoring position in the bottom of the seventh frame, but was left stranded due to a double play, sending the game into extra innings.
•       Memphis pushed through four extra frames trading zeroes with the Skyhawks before walking off in the bottom of the eleventh on Adebayo's RBI single up the middle that scored Cox-Cole for the Tiger win.

NOTABLES

•       Six Tigers recorded hits: Francesca Lumpp, Adebayo, Cox-Cole, Brown, Polk and Berner.
•       Polk went 3-for-5 with three RBI while recording her first home run of the season in the bottom of the second inning.
•       Adebayo batted in the winning run for the second game in a row, recording her ninth RBI this year.
•       Abigail Morgan got the start in the circle going 5.0 innings. Taniyah Brown came in as relief for the final 6.0 innings and recorded eight strikeouts.
•       Cox-Cole remains perfect on the season in stolen bases, going 3-for-3 against the Skyhawks.

UP NEXT

•       The Tigers will play Saturday against Jackson State at 1:30 p.m. and UT Martin at 4 p.m. at Tiger Softball Complex.

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