Tigers Fall Short in Rubber Match with Lions

Sunday, March 9

Memphis, Tenn.

1:05 P.M.

University of Memphis

9-6

Southeastern Louisiana

12-3

Southeastern

Memphis

Photo by: Auburn Sage

Mar 09, 2025 | Baseball

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis baseball team dropped the rubber match of a three-game series, 8-3, to Southeastern Louisiana on Sunday afternoon at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field.

After the Lions (12-3, 3-0 SLC) took game one on Friday night, the Tigers (9-6) walked off winners on CJ Willis' two-run single in extra innings on Saturday to even the series. A six-run third inning for the Lions propelled them to the series victory on Sunday as Memphis dropped its first weekend series of the season after winning its first three.

"A little slice of humble pie for us," head coach Matt Riser said. "The reoccurring thing for us in these losses are the big innings. We have to get off the field with two outs. They did all the damage there with two outs. It's a good club that swings the bat well, and we picked a bad weekend to do what we did offensively."

HOW IT HAPPENED
• RHP Caden Robinson made his fourth start of the season on the mound and pitched a scoreless first and second inning before running into trouble with two outs in the third. SLU's Giovanni Licciardi dropped in a two-run double down the right-field line to throw the first punch before Conner O'Neal added to the lead with a three-run shot to right field. SLU right fielder Parker Coley made it back-to-back home runs with a solo shot to complete the six-run inning for the Lions.
• Saturday's extra-inning hero CJ Willis got his first start of the season at designated hitter and stayed hot with a two-run single to get Memphis on the board in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 6-2 ballgame.
• SLU's TJ Salvaggio hit his second home run of the weekend on the first pitch of the seventh inning to grow the Lions' lead back to five.
• In the bottom of the seventh, the Tigers got that run back when shortstop Creek Robertson was thrown out attempting to steal second base and Shane Cox came home to score on the play.
• The Lions added an eighth run to their tally in the ninth inning when Coley scored on a wild pitch.
• After a lead-off walk by Robertson in the bottom of the ninth, Memphis was unable to get anything going as the Lions took the game 8-3 and clinched the series.

NOTABLES
• Willis made his first start of the season after delivering the game-winning hit on Saturday and went 2-for-4 with a two-run single.
• Shane Cox ended the day 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
• James Smith IV went 1-for-4 and scored a run. He moved from center field to the mound in the eighth inning and threw the final two frames, allowing one run on two hits with a pair of walks and a strikeout.
• LHP Logan Rushing threw three scoreless innings of relief, surrendering just one hit. He walked four Lions but avoided trouble by racking up four strikeouts.
• RHP Hayden Donahue made his fourth relief appearance of the season and allowed one run (solo HR) on two hits with a strikeout.
• Robertson was on base twice with a pair of walks.
• Robinson started on the mound for the Tigers and went three innings, allowing six runs on eight hits and no walks, striking out a pair. He took the loss and dropped to 1-2 on the season.

UP NEXT
• The Tigers are back in action on Tuesday night when they make a trip to Jonesboro, Arkansas, to play Arkansas State (6-9) at 6 p.m.

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.