Memphis Softball {5-23} got needed, 6-1, win, at home, against Arkansas Pine Bluff {5-21} before a home crowd of 150 was announced. Memphis played a complete game tonight for the win. We will look at what transpired in the win, some players who stood out, and what is next on the schedule. Let’s start with how the Tigers got the win.
What Happened?
The Tigers and Lions would battle for the first two innings with no score. The action would heat up in the 3rd when Belyeu got the first run of the game in when she hit a sacrifice fly to right that would score Johnson. In the bottom of this inning, Memphis would put three runs on the board. Meagan Chism would score on a walk by Madison Berner to get the Tiger’s first run. This run, followed by Kendall Lee, who scored on a wild pitch, and Zoe Adebayo, who would also score on a sacrifice fly to center, would get the three runs across and put the Tigers up 3-1.
Memphis would score three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sam Ibson would score on a Neely Taylor sacrifice bunt to make the score 4-1. Chism would get a timely single to right and get the final two runs on the board. Linsey Hargis and Taylor would close out the Lions with the 5th and 6th runs across. Memphis would score six runs on six hits on the night, The Tigers had hits from Chism, Neely, Hargis, Adebayo, and Ibison in the win. Taylor would finish the night going 2/2 from the plate with a run scored along with an RBI. Hargis, Lee, and Adebayo would all score runs with Chism going 2.4 with two RBIs and a run scored.
Memphis would see a dominating performance on the mound tonight. Sophomore Mikayla Hoshak would keep the Lions tamed all night. She would finish with seven innings pitched while allowing 5 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, and 5 strikeouts. Horshak threw 81 pitches on the night while facing 29 batters. Of her five strikeouts, the final two were the most dominant as she would sit for the final two batters.
What Did Coach Say?
Following the win, coach Stephanie Prothro would have this to say.
“Mikayla Hoschak gave us a good start in the circle, which is something I’ve been asking the pitchers to do often to give us a quality start. I thought we had a good, executed squeeze I thought Neely Taylor and Sam Ibison did a good job on base running. Linsey Hargis hit the ball hard, Zoe Adebayo hit the ball hard so we had some good stuff all the way through the line-up.” – Stephanie Prothro
“really happy with our performance tonight, though we came out ready to play. Offensively I thought we did better at the plate, making them work,”
“Defensively we did well. Aliana Zavala got the play at the plate, we got the rundown and we made all the play, all the routine plays, which is something we’ve been stressing. I’m really happy with the team and hopefully, we can stick with the process.“
What is Next?
Memphis will begin American Athletic Conference play this weekend. The Tigers will host the Houston Cougars on Saturday the 25th, and Sunday, the 26th. The Saturday slate will feature a doubleheader with game one beginning at noon followed by game two at 3 pm. These two games will be streamed on ESPN+. The game on Sunday will begin at noon.
