In a battle of hot bats under the desert lights, the Memphis softball team came out swinging but ultimately fell 13–8 to a relentless Texas State squad Friday evening during day two of the Kajikawa Classic. The loss dropped Memphis to 2–1 on the weekend but did little to dim the optimism surrounding a lineup that continues to produce at an encouraging clip early in the season.
Much like their earlier win over Toledo, the Tigers jumped ahead quickly. Taniyah Brown, making her first start of 2026 as the designated player, delivered in emphatic fashion — crushing a three-run home run over the left-field fence for her first round-tripper of the year. Not long after, freshman Kennedy Semien punched a base hit back up the middle to score another run, giving Memphis a commanding 4–0 cushion in the top of the first.
Texas State, however, proved why it’s a perennial regional contender. The Bobcats responded with a five-run first inning that featured everything from a bases-loaded walk to a double steal, showing off their situational hitting and aggressive base-running. Memphis went quietly in the second, and Texas State tacked on two more runs to extend its lead to 7–4.
True to form, Memphis once again rallied behind small-ball execution. Paris Brienesse and Deana Cunningham reached on bunt singles before Semien lined a two-run double down the left-field line. Moments later, Zereniti Sousa dropped a perfect safety squeeze bunt, scoring Semien to make it a one-run game at 7–6.
The Tigers’ resilience kept it close into the middle innings, but the long ball proved decisive. Texas State’s Aiyana Coleman hit a two-run homer in the fourth, and Karmyn Bass added an RBI hit to stretch the lead again. A seventh-inning push by Memphis saw Cunningham drive in one final run on a fielder’s choice, but a comeback wasn’t in the cards as the Tigers ran out of outs.
Even in defeat, there were positive signs everywhere. Semien continued her breakout rookie weekend, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a double. Davis posted two more hits and crossed the plate twice, maintaining her team-best .700 average through four games. Brienesse’s two hits off the bench sparked momentum midway through, and Cunningham contributed both a hit and an RBI.
On the pitching side, Avery Stutts recorded her first collegiate strikeouts in relief, while freshman Jazmine Chavez looked steady in her debut, striking out two across 2.1 innings. The bullpen’s workload allowed Prothro and her staff to evaluate early-season depth across multiple roles.
Through three games, Memphis now sits at 25 runs scored — an average of more than six per contest — demonstrating real offensive progress for a roster mixing veterans and youth.
The Tigers close play at the Kajikawa Classic on Sunday with two key tests, starting against RV Northwestern at 11 a.m. CT before facing tournament host RV Arizona State at 1:45 p.m. CT on ESPN+. Both games offer valuable early-season measuring sticks before Memphis returns home for its upcoming 901 Classic.
