By: W. Brandon Kolditz, Assistant Director – University of Memphis
MEMPHIS – The University of Memphis softball team went undefeated at the Rhodes College Fall Tournament on Saturday tying the host 0-0 and winning 16-0 over Arkansas State.
Memphis pitching combined for 30 strikeouts in 14 innings and allowed no runs on six hits with one walk. Senior RHP Ellen Roberts struck out 14 of a possible 15 batters in her five innings of work against Rhodes College in the opening game. The Australian allowed no hits with the only base runner coming on a hit batter.
Junior RHP Jordan Richwood also had a strong outing, striking out 10 in five innings to earn the win against Arkansas State in the second game. Richwood allowed just one hit with a walk. Freshman RHP Calli Irvin pitched the final two innings of both games and allowed no runs on five hits with six strikeouts.
Freshman infielder Brittany Vaughn and freshman outfielder Lindsay Crowdus led the Tigers with four hits in the two games. Vaughn went 2-for-3 with two of the U of M’s three hits in game one against Rhodes College and 2-for-3 in game two with five RBI, including a two-run homer. Crowdus went 4-for-5 with a RBI and three runs scored against Arkansas State.
Memphis struggled offensively against Rhodes College, collecting just three hits in the game. The Lynx nearly walked away with a win after loading the bases on three hits with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Irvin got a strikeout and a ground out to end the game in a scoreless tie.
The Tigers got the bats rolling in the second game against Arkansas State’s club team. Memphis took a 2-0 lead in the first inning and then broke the game open with seven runs on six hits in the sixth inning. The Tigers outhit the Red Wolves 18-2.
Sophomore outfielder Hannah Harrell finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI against Arkansas State, while junior outfielder Breslin Perry went 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Sophomore infielder Jaye Smith drove in three runs on a bases clearing double and senior first baseman Libby Goranson went 2-for-4 with a solo home run.
Memphis will travel to play a doubleheader at Southeast Missouri on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Cape Girardeau, Mo. The two teams will also play each other during the 2014 season in the Blues City Classic.
