Tigers Take Series Opener with 2-0 Shutout of Blazers

Friday, May 2

Memphis, Tenn.

6:05 P.M.

University of Memphis

17-28, 5-14

UAB

23-23, 7-12

UAB

Memphis

Seth Garner shutout vs. UAB, May 2, 2025

Photo by: Auburn Sage

Tigers Take Series Opener with 2-0 Shutout of Blazers

May 02, 2025 | Baseball

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis baseball team earned a 2-0 shutout win over UAB on Friday night behind a great outing from starting pitcher Seth Garner at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field.

The Tigers improved to 17-28 (5-14 AAC) on the season while the Blazers dropped to .500 (23-23, 7-12 AAC) on the season.

"Tonight was about as clean of a baseball game as you'll see," head coach Matt Riser said. "[Cade] Greer jumps on the first pitch of the game, was proud of him … He's done a really good job stepping in and being the every-day guy for us. He set the tone and then [Seth] Garner just kept on going, doing his thing. I thought it was about as complete of a game we've played. We pitched it really well and played really good defense, and then had the timely hitting with the two-out knock from [Michael] Politte."

HOW IT HAPPENED
• RHP Seth Garner made his 12^th start of the season on the mound for the Tigers and was sharp early, striking out five of the game's first six outs, including all three in the first.
• Center fielder Cade Greer wasted no time putting Memphis on the board when he deposited an opposite-field solo shot on the game's first pitch to put the Tigers up 1-0.
• Reigning National College Baseball Hall of Fame National Pitcher of the Week Colin Daniel settled in after the first inning as he and Garner both posted zeroes on the scoreboard until the bottom of the sixth.
• With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, freshman Michael Politte clutched up with a two-out, RBI double to right field, driving in Justin Fogel to pad the Memphis lead to a pair.
• RHP Will Howell entered in relief of Garner and struck out the side in the seventh before working around some trouble in the eighth and escaping the Blazers' scoring threat by inducing a 6-4-3 double play.
• RHP Davis Oswalt came out to pitch the ninth and surrendered a lead-off double to begin the frame. Cy Turner made an outstanding catch at the top of the right-field wall for the first out of the inning to take away extra bases and keep the UAB runner at second base. Oswalt responded with a punch out before getting a fly out to Greer in center field to clinch the shutout win for Memphis.

NOTABLES
• The shutout for Memphis marked the second of the season, the first coming opening weekend vs. SEMO (2-0).
• Greer led off the game with his third home run of the season (all three of the opposite-field variety) to mark the second time this season Memphis has homered to lead off the game (Daniel Perez vs. South Florida, 4/4/25).
• Fogel went 2-for-4 with a hustle double and scored a run on Politte's RBI double.
• Politte finished the game 1-for-3 with an RBI double.
• Chase Nixon finished the night 1-for-3 with a single and a walk.
• Garner turned in a great start, going six innings (97 pitches, 63 strikes) and allowing no runs on five hits and just one walk while striking out six. He earned the win to improve to 3-6 and lowered his season ERA to 4.11 (65.2 IP).
• Howell and Oswalt combined for three scoreless innings to finish off the shut out, each allowing just one hit. Howell struck out four Blazers and a Oswalt earned his second save of the campaign.

UP NEXT
• The Tigers are back at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field tomorrow afternoon for game two with the Blazers. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 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.