Trio of Tigers Homer, Memphis Drops Game One at UAB in Extras, 7-6

Friday, April 24

Birmingham, Ala.

5:05 p.m.

University of Memphis

15-25, 0

UAB

27-15, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Memphis	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	0	0	1	6	9	1
UAB	0	1	0	0	1	2	1	0	0	0	2	7	13	0

Trio of Tigers Homer, Memphis Drops Game One at UAB in Extras, 7-6

Apr 24, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The University of Memphis (15-25, 7-9 American) baseball team dropped a tough extra-inning contest at UAB (27-15, 11-5 American), 7-6, on Friday night at Young Memorial Field.

Memphis led early and again late, but UAB used a pair of solo home runs in the bottom of the 11th inning to walk it off. The Tigers totaled nine hits and drew seven walks on the night but stranded 10 runners, while the Blazers capitalized on key opportunities to secure the win.

Freddy Rodriguez, Brady McAbee and James Smith IV each homered to lead the Memphis offense, while Javon Hernandez, Marcus Smith and Shane Cox added two hits apiece. On the mound, Memphis used four pitchers, with Logan Rushing (1-3) taking the loss in relief.

Memphis will be back in action for game two in Birmingham at 2:05 p.m. tomorrow where they will look to even the series.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Memphis jumped on the board immediately in the first inning as Freddy Rodriguez led off with a solo home run to right field for a 1-0 lead.
UAB answered in the second with a solo home run to even the score at 1-1.
The Tigers regained the lead in the fourth inning with back-to-back solo home runs from Brady McAbee and James Smith IV to make it 3-1.
The Blazers chipped away with a run in the fifth before taking the lead in the sixth with a two-run inning to go in front 4-3.
UAB added another run in the seventh to extend its lead to 5-3.
Memphis responded in the eighth, loading the bases and scoring twice on RBI walks from McAbee and Shane Cox to tie the game at 5-5.
After a scoreless ninth and both teams leaving the bases loaded in the 10th, the Tigers pushed across a run in the 11th on an RBI single from Javon Hernandez to take a 6-5 lead.
UAB answered in the bottom half with two solo home runs to walk it off, 7-6.

NOTABLES

Freddy Rodriguez stole a base for the Tigers, bringing the team's season total to 90 steals, which ranks in the top 35 nationally and first in the conference.
- Rodriguez increased his season total to 32.
- He ranks first in the conference and sixth in the nation.
- Rodriguez is eight bags away from breaking Memphis' all-time single-season stolen base record (39).
The two teams combined to leave 26 total runners on base.
- The Tigers left 10 runners on base including three each in the eighth and 10^th innings.
- The Blazers left 16 runners on base including three each in the ninth and 10^th innings.
Second baseman Shane Cox went 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI walk.
- Cox hit his team-leading 12^th double of the season and recorded his 14^th multi-hit game, also leading the team.
Shortstop Javon Hernandez collected two hits on Friday.
- Hernandez brought in the go-ahead run in the 11^th inning on an RBI single through the middle of the infield.
- Notched his 11^th multi-hit game this season.
Right fielder Marcus Smith also picked up a pair of hits for the Tigers.
- Smith got his 10^th and 11^th hits of the season while blasting a ball in the gap for his second double of the year.
Third baseman Freddy Rodriguez got the Tigers going early, hitting a leadoff home run.
- The homer was his second homer of the season and the first leadoff bomb by a Tiger since Daniel Perez vs. South Florida on April 4 of last year.
- Rodriguez also drew two walks on the evening, bringing his season total to a team-high 27.
Designated hitter Brady McAbee and left fielder James Smith IV smacked back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning.
- McAbee's blast marked his 20^th hit of the year and his fourth long ball thus far.
- Smith IV launched his eighth homer and collected his team-leading 37^th RBI of the season.
Webb Watson was substituted late in the game to play left field and made a spectacular diving catch to end the ninth inning.
- With the game tied at 5-5, the Blazers loaded the bases in the ninth with two outs and threatened to walk the game off as pinch-hitter Max Price drove a ball to deep left field before Watson sent the game to extras with a fantastic catch.

SCORING SUMMARY

Top 1:
Freddy Rodriguez homered.
Memphis 1, UAB 0

Bottom 2:
Austin Pierzynski homered.
Memphis 1, UAB 1

Top 4:
Brady McAbee homered.
James Smith IV homered.
Memphis 3, UAB 1

Bottom 5:
Kevin Hall Jr. homered.
Memphis 3, UAB 2

Bottom 6:
Wesley Helms doubled, Andrew Hunt scored.
Austin Pierzynski singled, Wesley Helmes scored.
Memphis 3, UAB 4

Bottom 7:
Brady Waugh singled, Landon Beaver scored.
Memphis 3, UAB 5

Top 8:
Brady McAbee walked, Marcus Smith scored.
Shane Cox walked, Freddy Rodriguez scored.
Memphis 5, UAB 5

Top 11:
Javon Hernandez singled, Marcus Smith scored.
Memphis 6, UAB 5

Bottom 11:
Austin Pierzynski homered.
Kevin Hall Jr. homered.
Memphis 6, UAB 7

UP NEXT

Memphis will look to even the series with UAB tomorrow afternoon at 2:05.

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.