Faith Brown Homers against Iowa as Tigers Fall to Hawkeyes and No. 17 LSU

Friday, February 27

Baton Rouge, La.

1:30 p.m.

University of Memphis

4-10

Iowa

12-5

Iowa

Memphis

Photo by: Steven Spehar

Faith Brown Homers against Iowa as Tigers Fall to Hawkeyes and No. 17 LSU

Feb 27, 2026 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

BATON ROUGE, La. – The University of Memphis (4-11) softball team fell by run-rule in both contests during the opening day of the LSU Invitational against Iowa (12-5) and No. 17 LSU (15-4).

Despite early offense in both games for the Tigers, defensive woes and continued offensive pressure from the opposition ended up handing the Tigers a pair of losses.

GAME ONE: Memphis 2, Iowa 11 (5 inn.)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Memphis came out of the first inning unscathed after Deana Cunningham turned her third double play of the season on a pop up.
In the second, Iowa used a sacrifice fly off the bat of Brianna Johnson and a successful first-and-third play to put up two runs for an early lead.
In the bottom half, Memphis matched the Hawkeyes with a two-run home run off the bat of Faith Brown.
- Brown entered as a pinch hitter after Aubrey Williams was unable to finish her at-bat after fouling a ball off her body.
Iowa regained its lead with five runs in the third, including a sacrifice fly, fielder's choice bunt and three bases-loaded walks.
A fielder's choice with an error allowed two runs to come across for the Hawkeyes in the fourth.
The Hawkeyes pushed the game to run-rule territory with an RBI single and a third sacrifice fly.
- Memphis went down in order in the fifth in the run-rule loss.

GAME TWO: Memphis 2, No. 17 LSU 11 (5 inn.)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Memphis carried a common theme of the early stages of the season by scoring first in the contest on a sacrifice fly by Jasmine Mack to bring home Ariel Davis.
- Davis led off the game with a single up the middle.
After stranding runners at first and second in the opening inning, LSU opened the game up with seven runs in the second.
- After getting a first-pitch groundout, LSU's Kylee Edwards hit a home run to tie the game at one run apiece.
- After a hit-by-pitch and a single, an RBI double by Jalia Lassiter gave LSU a one-run lead.
- With the bases loaded, LSU scored on four-consecutive at-bats with a walk, error, walk and a two-RBI single.
Memphis cut into the deficit with an RBI double off the bat of Jasmine Mack.
- Mack was thrown out at third to end the inning on the play.
- The double could have brought in two runs, but Ariel Davis was thrown out in a rundown on a fielder's choice.
LSU extended its lead with four runs in the fourth on a wild pitch, throwing error and a two-run home run of the bat of Destiny Harris.
- Down to their final at-bats, Memphis struck out twice and stranded a runner at first when Davis reached for a third time thanks to a hit-by-pitch.

NOTABLES

Ariel Davis was 2-for-4 on the day, including a two-hit performance against No. 17 LSU.
- Davis continues to lead the Tigers as the only player to start all 15 games and has a .419 batting average with team highs in runs (14), hits (18) doubles (3), triples (2) and home runs (4).
- She also sits second on the team in getting hit with her third hit-by-pitch of the season tonight. Kylie Waldrep is the only other Tiger to get hit by a pitch and she leads the team with four.
Faith Brown slugged a two-run home run for her lone hit of the day, recording a run scored against each of Iowa and LSU.
- All of Brown's five RBI this season have come from home runs.
Kennedy Semien notched a base hit in each game.
- Semien's two-hit day makes her the second Tiger this season with double-digit hits.
Jasmine Mack finished the day with a double and two RBI.
- Her two RBI against LSU marked her second multi-RBI game of the season.
Mya Clark was 1-for-3 during the first day of competition, also scoring a run against Iowa.
Taylor Caton struck out two Iowa hitters during her start and notched a stolen base against LSU.

UP NEXT
Memphis is on tap for two more games tomorrow in the LSU Invitational at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. against Nicholls and No. 17 LSU, respectively.

Only tomorrow's game against LSU will be broadcast on SEC Network+.

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.