For two innings Sunday afternoon, it looked like Memphis had found its stride. But as quickly as the Tigers built their lead, the visiting Ohio State Buckeyes dismantled it, scoring in five straight frames to claim an 8–2 victory and close out the Grind City Classic at FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field.
The loss dropped Memphis to 2–5 in the young season. It also served as another reminder of how thin the line can be between early control and late collapse.
Quick Start, Faster Slide
Memphis left-hander David Case came out sharp, striking out the side in the top of the first inning and setting the tone early. That energy carried into the bottom half as the Tigers struck first.
Javon Hernandez drew a walk and later scored when Brady McAbee earned a bases-loaded free pass. In the second, Michael Gupton reached on an error, swiped second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch before Hernandez brought him home with a groundout to make it 2–0.
For the second straight game, Memphis grabbed the early advantage. But once Ohio State’s order reset, the momentum vanished almost instantly.
The Buckeyes tied the game in the third when Lee Ellis connected for a two-run homer to right field. They took the lead an inning later on consecutive RBI hits from Maddix Simpson and Miles Vandenheuvel. By the time Noah Furcht went deep in the fifth, Memphis found itself trailing 5–2 and searching for answers.
Walks and Two-Out Trouble
The story of the afternoon came down to two issues: command and execution. Memphis issued 11 walks, its highest total since May 2024, and watched chance after chance slip away. Five of Ohio State’s eight runs came with two outs, continuing a frustrating early-season pattern; 31 of the 56 runs Memphis has surrendered have come with two down.
“Short and sweet, we sucked this week, but it is ok,” head coach Matt Riser said. “We have to get better…out of the seven games played, we have only played well in two.”
The middle innings unraveled fast. After a sacrifice bunt and a two-out double in the sixth extended the Buckeye lead to 7–2, another fielder’s choice in the seventh sealed Memphis’ fifth loss in seven games.
From the third inning on, Ohio State controlled every frame. Memphis didn’t collect another hit until late in the contest and finished just 3-for-29 on the day.
Hitting Top Still Producing
Despite the rough finish, the top of the lineup remained consistent. Hernandez, Freddy Rodriguez, James Smith IV, and Shane Cox each reached base safely, continuing their streak of doing so in every game this season.
Rodriguez and Gupton added stolen bases, pushing Memphis’ season total to 20, good for a spot among the top 20 nationally and first in the American Athletic Conference. Rodriguez is now 5-for-5 on steal attempts and swiped a bag in every game of the weekend series.
In the bullpen, Carson Fair shone again. The sophomore right-hander struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth, closing the outing on a positive note. Fair has allowed just one hit in 2.2 innings this season while recording both a win and a save.
Patient but Powerless
Plate discipline remains a notable bright spot. Memphis drew seven more walks Sunday, bringing its season total to 40, compared to 32 by its opponents. But those free passes haven’t translated into production. The Tigers have now scored first in four of seven games, winning only once.
After the second inning, the bats fell silent. Ohio State’s bullpen retired 16 of the next 19 hitters, and Memphis never managed to move another runner into scoring position.
“The mojo is not here right now,” Riser said. “We have to get back to simple baseball.”
What’s Next
The Tigers won’t have long to dwell on it. They’ll hit the road for the first time this season on Tuesday with a 3:05 p.m. first pitch against Little Rock. Memphis lost its first meeting with the Trojans earlier this month and will look to even the series before heading into next weekend’s nonconference slate.
The Grind City Classic offered Memphis a chance to test its depth and resilience. Instead, it exposed areas that need tightening, from the mound to the mental side of late-inning focus.
Two runs weren’t nearly enough on a day when base traffic and walks dictated the tempo. The good news? It’s still February. There’s time to turn early lessons into March momentum.
