Despite impressive Game 1, Jags drop series versus Memphis

This past weekend, Southern University baseball traveled to Tennessee to take on the Memphis Tigers at FedEx Park. The Jaguars (17-15 overall, 9-2 in SWAC) went into game 1 of the series looking to secure a victory on the road against their American Athletic Conference opponent.
Memphis struck first as 1B Kyle Ouellette hit a home run on a 3-2 pitch in the 3rd inning to give Memphis an early 1-0 lead.
Southern would register their first run of the contest in the 8th inning after Jaguar center fielder Javeyan Williams scored on a wild pitch. Southern would break loose for a flurry of runs in the 9th inning as 2nd baseman Willie Ward would hit a single down the middle to bring in 2 runs for Southern.
Southern would take game 1 of the series with a final score of 6-1 and improve their record on the season to 17-13.
Winning in game 1 of the series, Southern freshman utility Rhett Herbert’s win-loss improved to a record to 2-1 on the season.
Game 2 of the series saw Southern and Memphis combine for numerous hits on the afternoon as the Jaguars and Tigers combined for 29 hits on the evening.
Memphis would take an 8-2 lead in the 2nd inning after home runs from both Keith Stepter and Hunter Goodman, although Southern would later rally back with their own series of hits and runs.
Javeyan Williams’ home run would tie the game at 9 a piece in the 5th inning as Southern began their comeback attempt on route to retake the lead.
Southern would reclaim said lead as they scored in the 6th inning off of a wild pitch to take the lead to 10-9 on the day. Memphis would score 3 runs in the 6th inning as well however to give them back the lead 12-10.
Southern would tie the game once more in the 7th inning after a single from junior infielder Coby Taylor would bring in two more runs for Southern.
After heading into extra innings, no runs would be scored by either team until the bottom of the 12th inning, where Memphis catcher Hunter Goodman recorded a two-run walk off homerun to give Memphis the 14-12 win in extra innings.
Game 3 of the weekend triple-header would be the series finale between Southern and Memphis. After striking early, Southern would not score again for the series as Memphis’ pitching took over the game.
Southern 2B Johnny Johnson would get the game started in the first inning for the Jaguars as a double would bring in a run and give the Jaguars a 1-0 lead. That would be the only run the Jaguars had on the afternoon.
Memphis would score runs in the 4th and 8th innings on the way to a 10-1 win for the Tigers to end the series.
The Jaguars would drop their 2nd game in a row and lose the series 2-1, dropping their record to 17-15 on the season.
Southern LHP John Guienze Jr. would receive the loss on the day, giving the junior pitcher his first loss of the season.
The Jaguars will be back at home at Lee Hines Field on Tuesday April 9 against cross-town foe and the 13th ranked team in nation LSU at 6:30pm.