Tigers Split Final Day of I-75 Challenge Against Georgia State

Sunday, February 23

Atlanta, Ga.

10 AM

University of Memphis

9-5

Georgia State

4-12

MEMPHIS

GEORGIA STATE

Photo by: Steven Spehar

Tigers Split Final Day of I-75 Challenge Against Georgia State

Feb 23, 2025 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

DECATUR, Ga. – Memphis softball split its doubleheader with Georgia State on the final day of the I-75 Challenge. The Tigers beat the Panthers by a score of 8-3 in game one, before falling in extra innings by a score of 9-8 in game two.

GAME ONE: Memphis 8, Georgia State 3

HOW IT HAPPENED

Memphis got out to a quick lead when Taniyah Brown slugged a solo home run in the first inning.
Georgia State answered back in the second inning with an RBI single off the bat of Jaycee Goodwin.
McKaylee Polk swung momentum back in Memphis' favor with a home run in the third inning.
- Georgia State tied the game at two in the bottom half of the inning on a passed ball.
After three scoreless innings for both sides, the Tigers offense exploded for six runs in the top of the 7th inning.
The rally began with an RBI single by Ariel Davis.
Kennedy Semien came up with the bases loaded and sent a ball to deep right center for a double that scored three runs.
Taniyah Brown stepped up to the plate next, delivering on an RBI double to score Semien.
Zoe Adebayo recorded Memphis' third RBI double in a row in the next at-bat, scoring Presley Morris, who came in as a pinch runner for Taniyah Brown.
Georgia State attempted to mount a comeback, but only scored one run on an RBI groundout from Chloe Middlebrooks.

NOTABLES

Arianna Cox-Cole recorded two stolen bases. She currently has the team lead with six on the season.
At the conclusion of the first game, Neely Taylor has reached base safely in 13 of 14 games played.
- Taylor has also recorded a hit in 12 of 14 games played.
Four qualified batters for Memphis (Kennedy Semien, Neely Taylor, Zoe Adebayo, Taniyah Brown) hold an OPS above 1.000, with Adebayo being the only Tiger with an OPS of at least 1.300.
After 14 games, Kennedy Semien leads Memphis in batting average (.450), hits (18), runs (11), walks (8) and is tied for the team lead with 14 RBIs.
Brown's and Polk's home runs resulted in Memphis' third game of the season with multiple home runs hit.

GAME TWO: Memphis 8, Georgia State 9 (8 inn.)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Memphis scored two runs to gain a lead early in the second game of the doubleheader. Kennedy Semien scored on an error for the first run.
- Taniyah Brown scored on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Arianna Cox-Cole.
Georgia State cut the deficit in half on a solo home run by Chloe Middlebrooks in the bottom half of the first inning.
Georgia State gave itself a comfortable lead with five runs scored in the second inning.
An RBI single by Ashton Schroyer knotted the game at two before Middlebrooks hit a grand slam for her second home run of the game.
Memphis began to mount a comeback in the fourth inning. Ariel Davis stepped up to the plate and launched a high fly ball that cleared the fence for a three-run home run, cutting the deficit to just one.
The Panthers extended their lead to two runs on a sacrifice fly by Ryleigh Garrett.
In the sixth inning, the Tigers tied the game on a two-run home run by Neely Taylor.
- The score would stay at 7-7 going into extra innings.
With Kennedy Semien placed at second base to begin the eighth inning, Memphis manufactured a run with a sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly on consecutive at-bats to take the lead.
Georgia State capitalized on an error to have runners on second and third with no outs in the extra frame.
A sacrifice bunt tied the game for Georgia State, and the Panthers won the game on the next at bat with an RBI single for the walk-off victory.

NOTABLES

Georgia State designated player Gabby Tillis was hit by a pitch in each of her three at-bats on the day.
Memphis' two home runs came off the bats of Ariel Davis and Neely Taylor. Both home runs were the first of their respective collegiate careers.
Through 16 games, the Tigers have hit 13 home runs.
- During the 2024 season, it took Memphis 36 games to reach that home run total.
The Tigers have already had four multi-home run games, where they only had three games with at least two home runs hit over the past two seasons combined.

UP NEXT
Memphis travels to North Alabama for a midweek matchup on Wednesday, Feb. 26 before leaving for the Best of the Bayou Tournament, hosted by Louisiana-Monroe, next weekend.

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.