Five Home Runs Power Tigers to 13-5 Win Over Lindenwood

Friday, March 14

Memphis, Tenn.

4:05 P.M.

University of Memphis

10-7

Lindenwood

8-11

Lindenwood

Memphis

Five Home Runs Power Tigers to 13-5 Win Over Lindenwood

Mar 14, 2025 | Baseball

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis baseball team slugged five home runs on its way to a 13-5, series-opening win over Lindenwood on Friday afternoon at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field.

The Tigers improved to 10-7 on the season while the Lions dropped to 8-11 overall.

"We knew these guys could swing it a little bit. They came out against our Friday night guy and threw some punches," head coach Matt Riser said. "What I really liked was our response to that. We'd been struggling this past week offensively and we answered the bell tonight."

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Lindenwood jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning, striking for a trio of solo shots to kick off the scoring on a windy afternoon.
• In the bottom of the first, Chase Nixon set the tone with a lead-off double – his first of three on the day – and James Smith IV followed it up with a two-run shot to left field to bring Memphis back within a run. Later in the inning, Shane Cox added a two-out, RBI single to tie the game at three runs apiece.
• The Tigers took the lead on a two-out, two-run single from catcher Jonah Sutton in the bottom of the second inning.
• In the third inning, Shane Cox stole second base and then stole third base before coming home on an errant throw to make the score 6-3, Memphis.
• Lindenwood added two more solo home runs in the fourth and fifth innings to draw back within a run.
• The Tigers pushed across three more runs in the sixth to extend the lead back to four. Nixon drove in Creek Robertson with a double before Seth Cox mashed a two-run home run – his first of the year – to make the score 9-5.
• Shane Cox led the bottom of the seventh with his third home run of the year as it also marked the third big fly of the game for the Tigers. Memphis got another run in the inning when Seth Cox drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Robertson to make the score 11-5, Tigers.
• Memphis got a pair of solo shots in the eighth inning off the bats of Cade Tucker and Robertson to give the Tigers five big flies on the day. Tucker's was an opposite-field shot and Robertson's was his first of the season.
• RHP Davis Oswalt retired the Lions in order in the top of the ninth to complete his fourth scoreless inning of work to earn his first save of the season as the Tigers won, 13-5.

NOTABLES
• RHP Seth Garner made his fifth start of the season and threw five innings to earn the win and improve to 2-1. All five runs he allowed came via the solo home run on a very windy day as he struck out four and walked just one, allowing eight hits.
• Oswalt threw four scoreless innings and earned the save. He allowed just one hit, one walk and struck out four Lions, lowering his season ERA to an impressive 1.88 over 14.1 innings.
• The Tigers slugged five home runs in the win – the most since also hitting five long balls at South Florida (3/22/24) and marked just the ninth time in program history with five or more home runs in a game.
• Memphis added four doubles to the home runs to total nine extra-base hits and 35 total bases. The 35 total bases are tied for fifth-most in program history.
• Four Tigers had three-hit performances in the win: Nixon, Shane Cox, Robertson and Cy Turner.
• Nixon went 3-for-5 with three doubles in the win, also scoring three times and driving in a run.
• Shane Cox ended the game 3-for-5 with his third home run of the season, two RBI and two runs scored. He also stole a pair of bases.
• Robertson's 3-for-5 effort was punctuated with an eighth-inning solo shot for his first home run of the year. He also scored three runs in the win.
• Cy Turner had a 3-for-3 day from the nine spot in the order, stroking a double, scoring once and walking once.
• Smith IV, Seth Cox, Sutton and Tucker all logged a hit and RBI in the win. Smith IV, Seth Cox and Tucker's hits were all of the home-run variety. Seth Cox (3) and Sutton (2) each had multiple RBI.

UP NEXT
• The Tigers are back tomorrow at 2:05 p.m. for game two with the Lions as Memphis aims to clinch its fourth series victory of the season.

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