The Memphis softball team closed out the Blues City Invitational on Sunday in emphatic fashion — and under unusual circumstances. The Tigers (5-8) capped the weekend with two wins that couldn’t have been more different: a 16-14 walk-off thriller over Bradley and a 7-0 victory by forfeit against Indiana State.
After trailing by 10 runs in the third inning, Memphis mounted the largest comeback in program history, fueled by a record-setting performance from Zereniti Sousa, who drove in nine runs — the most ever by a Tiger in a single game. The day ended with Jasmine Mack delivering the decisive blow, a three-run walk-off homer that completed an improbable rally and sent the Tigers surging into their upcoming road trip with renewed confidence.
Early Trouble for Memphis
The first game was anything but smooth from the start. Bradley came out swinging, putting eight runs on the board in the opening inning. The Braves capitalized on five hits, four walks, and a Memphis error, including a leadoff home run by Kierston McCoy.
Facing an early mountain to climb, Memphis found a spark in the bottom half of the frame. Sousa and Deana Cunningham notched back-to-back RBI singles to trim the lead to 8-2. The Tigers struck again in the second, with Sousa plating two more on another single, cutting the deficit to four.
But just as Memphis gained momentum, the Braves answered with six more runs in the third inning, taking advantage of five hits and four Memphis errors to push the lead to 14-4.
The Rally Begins
Rather than fold, the Tigers fought back. A sacrifice fly by Aubrey Williams and a groundout from Mack brought home two runs in the third inning and gave Memphis signs of life.
Head coach Trena Prater handed the ball back to Taylor Caton, who reentered the circle midway through the third inning. Caton’s calm presence changed the game. She blanked Bradley for the rest of the contest, tossing four scoreless innings and striking out five to give her offense time to work.
After a quiet fourth inning, Memphis exploded again in the fifth. Neely Taylor sparked the rally with an RBI single, and Sousa followed by blasting a three-run home run over the center-field wall. In a matter of moments, the Tigers had slashed a once-daunting lead down to just two runs.
Sousa Makes History, Mack Seals It
Memphis continued its surge in the sixth. Sousa stepped up again with the bases loaded and drove a ball off the left-center wall for a bases-clearing double, bringing home three more runs and setting a new single-game program record with nine RBI.
By the seventh, Caton and the Tigers’ defense had fully steadied, allowing only one baserunner in the top half to keep it 14-13 heading to the bottom of the inning.
That’s when the Memphis magic returned. Mya Clark opened the frame with a clutch pinch-hit single, and Williams lined one down the third-base line to put two aboard. On the first pitch of her at-bat, Mack launched a towering shot over the right-field fence, a three-run walk-off blast that secured the 16-14 victory and capped one of the most dramatic comebacks in team history.
Forfeit Closes Out the Day
Memphis’ second win came in far less dramatic fashion. Indiana State refused to play without a declared drop-dead time, resulting in a forfeit under NCAA Rule 6.20.2.
The rule awards a 7-0 victory to the team not at fault, ending the night with Memphis officially 2-0 on the day. No statistics were recorded other than the final score.
Breaking Down the Numbers
The 30 combined runs in the win over Bradley were the most in a single game in Memphis program history. The Tigers also broke the mark for most defensive errors in a game with eight — though remarkably, only two of Bradley’s 14 runs were unearned.
Sousa delivered a career day, going 4-for-4 with a home run, a walk, nine RBI, and two runs scored. Her nine RBI broke the previous record of eight set by Melissa Nance against Lipscomb in 2007.
Mack turned in a 3-for-4 performance with two doubles and the game-winning home run, finishing with four RBI. Taylor added two hits, an RBI, and two runs scored, while Brown and Williams each contributed timely hits and at-bats. Ariel Davis continued her steady play, reaching base three times while maintaining team leads in several offensive categories, including batting average, hits, and slugging percentage.
Caton earned her first collegiate win in the circle, logging 4.1 innings and steadying the Memphis defense with a poised, efficient stretch of relief.
Looking Ahead
The Tigers now turn their attention to a six-game stretch in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They’ll open against Southern on Thursday before competing in the LSU Invitational, a homecoming of sorts for head coach Trena Prater, a former LSU standout.
Memphis will meet Iowa once and face both LSU and Nicholls twice over the weekend, a slate that promises to test the Tigers’ depth and resilience. If Sunday’s comeback was any indication, the Tigers are beginning to find both.
