University of Memphis Athletics
Friday, March 21
Denton, Texas
6 PM
University of Memphis
at
North Texas
Photo by: Steven Spehar
Tigers Prepare for Weekend Series at North Texas
Mar 19, 2025 | Softball
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Memphis Tigers softball (14-15, 3-3 AAC) travels to North Texas (19-10, 2-4 AAC) after securing its first conference series victory since the 2019 season.
This weekend's games are scheduled for starts at 6 p.m., 2 p.m. and noon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Smacker Miles will provide color commentary for the full weekend, with Sam Kaman providing play-by-play on Friday and Kyle Youmans on the Saturday and Sunday games.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Memphis comes into the weekend fresh off its first conference series win in six seasons. The Tigers took two games against UTSA, clinching the series with a thrilling rubber game that featured six lead changes.
Zoe Adebayo has been a quintessential bat in the Memphis lineup as American Athletic Conference play has begun. She has moved into the team lead in batting average (.377) after two strong weeks that resulted in back-to-back AAC weekly honorable mentions. The senior had a game-deciding two-RBI double in Memphis' series-clinching victory against UTSA. She also leads Memphis in RBIs (26), home runs (5) and is tied for second in doubles with seven.
Kennedy Semien and Neely Taylor continue to be efficient in their roles in the Tiger batting order. Both are tied for the team lead in hits with 32 and are hitting above the .370 mark. Semien leads the Tigers in doubles (8), runs (26) and is tied for second on the team in walks with 16. Taylor has ten extra-base hits (seven doubles, one triple, three home runs) and is the only Memphis player to have started in every game this season.
The Memphis pitching staff is coming off a strong weekend where it only allowed three earned runs in three games against UTSA. Rylee Dugar leads the team in wins (5), ERA (3.17), innings pitched (59.2) and strikeouts (41). Each of the four members of the pitching staff have pitched at least 30 innings on the season.
The Tigers have seen strong contributions in the circle from a pair of freshmen in Jericho Tate and Lyrical Bennett. Bennett is a week removed from two complete-game wins, while Tate pitched in all three of Memphis' games this past weekend, including the final two innings of the Tigers' series-clinching victory against UTSA.
SCOUTING THE MEAN GREEN
North Texas enters the series after suffering a 4-2 loss in extra innings to UT Arlington during a midweek contest on Wednesday.
The Mean Green are led by Cierra Simon. She currently leads the team in batting average (.385), OPS (1.040), doubles (8) and triples (2). Tatum Sparks and Elizabeth Moffitt are also hitting above the .300 mark. The pair have combined for 11 doubles and seven home runs, with Sparks also leading North Texas in hits with 36.
Anneca Anderson and Skylar Savage lead the Mean Green in wins in the circle with eight apiece. Savage has thrown four complete games with three saves while striking out 61 batters on the season. Anderson holds a 3.31 ERA with 39 batters struck out over 72 innings pitched.
Among qualified pitchers, Kayleigh Smith leads the North Texas staff with a 2.84 ERA, primarily in a relief role. Smith has totaled 37 innings pitched over 14 appearances this season.
THE SERIES WITH…
The Tigers and Mean Green have faced off eight times in the programs' histories. Memphis won the first contest back in 2008, but North Texas has taken the last seven games in the series.
Most recently, North Texas defeated Memphis, 7-1, in the opening round of the 2024 AAC Softball Championship.
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.
This weekend's games are scheduled for starts at 6 p.m., 2 p.m. and noon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Smacker Miles will provide color commentary for the full weekend, with Sam Kaman providing play-by-play on Friday and Kyle Youmans on the Saturday and Sunday games.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Memphis comes into the weekend fresh off its first conference series win in six seasons. The Tigers took two games against UTSA, clinching the series with a thrilling rubber game that featured six lead changes.
Zoe Adebayo has been a quintessential bat in the Memphis lineup as American Athletic Conference play has begun. She has moved into the team lead in batting average (.377) after two strong weeks that resulted in back-to-back AAC weekly honorable mentions. The senior had a game-deciding two-RBI double in Memphis' series-clinching victory against UTSA. She also leads Memphis in RBIs (26), home runs (5) and is tied for second in doubles with seven.
Kennedy Semien and Neely Taylor continue to be efficient in their roles in the Tiger batting order. Both are tied for the team lead in hits with 32 and are hitting above the .370 mark. Semien leads the Tigers in doubles (8), runs (26) and is tied for second on the team in walks with 16. Taylor has ten extra-base hits (seven doubles, one triple, three home runs) and is the only Memphis player to have started in every game this season.
The Memphis pitching staff is coming off a strong weekend where it only allowed three earned runs in three games against UTSA. Rylee Dugar leads the team in wins (5), ERA (3.17), innings pitched (59.2) and strikeouts (41). Each of the four members of the pitching staff have pitched at least 30 innings on the season.
The Tigers have seen strong contributions in the circle from a pair of freshmen in Jericho Tate and Lyrical Bennett. Bennett is a week removed from two complete-game wins, while Tate pitched in all three of Memphis' games this past weekend, including the final two innings of the Tigers' series-clinching victory against UTSA.
SCOUTING THE MEAN GREEN
North Texas enters the series after suffering a 4-2 loss in extra innings to UT Arlington during a midweek contest on Wednesday.
The Mean Green are led by Cierra Simon. She currently leads the team in batting average (.385), OPS (1.040), doubles (8) and triples (2). Tatum Sparks and Elizabeth Moffitt are also hitting above the .300 mark. The pair have combined for 11 doubles and seven home runs, with Sparks also leading North Texas in hits with 36.
Anneca Anderson and Skylar Savage lead the Mean Green in wins in the circle with eight apiece. Savage has thrown four complete games with three saves while striking out 61 batters on the season. Anderson holds a 3.31 ERA with 39 batters struck out over 72 innings pitched.
Among qualified pitchers, Kayleigh Smith leads the North Texas staff with a 2.84 ERA, primarily in a relief role. Smith has totaled 37 innings pitched over 14 appearances this season.
THE SERIES WITH…
The Tigers and Mean Green have faced off eight times in the programs' histories. Memphis won the first contest back in 2008, but North Texas has taken the last seven games in the series.
Most recently, North Texas defeated Memphis, 7-1, in the opening round of the 2024 AAC Softball Championship.
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.
Players Mentioned
1B/C
/ Softball
P/3B
/ Softball
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/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
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