Baseball / Softball
UCA comes up short in home run derby at Memphis
Bears give up 17 hits after solid pitching at LSU in long trip back to Conway, now have home opener.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A windy day turned into a home run derby on Wednesday. Memphis got more shots up out and downed UCA, 14-4, in a rune-rule win at FedExpark.
With a strong wind blowing out, the Tigers (2-3) more than doubled their season home run total, hitting seven after entering the game with six through their first four games. UCA hit its first two homers of the season, solo shots by center fielder Drew Sturgeon and right fielder Zeb Allen, but it was not enough against the hot-swinging Tigers.
UCA, which was coming off a 4-3 loss to No. 2 LSU, allowed 17 hits after giving up an average of just six hits in its first four outings.
The Bears (1-4) enjoyed a 3-2 lead after two innings. Sturgeon, a junior from Farmington, Ark., led off the second with his first home run of the season and the 11th of his career. Junior shortstop Tanner Leonard’s sacrifice fly scored Preston Curtis, who had walked and advanced on Mason King’s sacrifice bunt.
Senior third baseman A.J. Mendolia then delivered a double down the left-field line for a 3-0 lead.
But from there it was all Tigers, as they picked up two runs in the bottom of the inning and took the lead for good with a five-run third. Two Memphis players, Austin Baskin and Pierre Seals, had two home runs each. Allen and Mendolia both had two hits for the Bears.
UCA starter Perry Titlow, a junior right-hander from San Joaquin Delta, picked up the loss, allowing six runs. Titlow struck out 5 as five Bears pitchers combined for nine strikeouts.
The Bears open their home schedule at 3 p.m. Friday against Southern Illinois at Bear Stadium. Games times the remainder of the weekend are 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
Information from UCASports.com is included in this story.
| Sat, Aug 31 |  | @ Arkansas State | L, 34-31 |
| Sat, Sep 7 |  | @ Lindenwood | W, 34-13 |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | Austin Peay | W, 45-17 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | @ Arkansas-Pine Bluff | W, 56-17 |
| Sat, Sep 28 |  | vs Lamar | W, 34-14 |
| Sat, Oct 5 |  | @ Abilene Christian | L, 41-34 |
| Sat, Oct 12 |  | vs West Georgia | W, 34-33 |
| Sat, Oct 26 |  | vs North Alabama | W, 24-19 |
| Sat, Nov 2 |  | @ Utah Tech | L, 34-21 |
| Sat, Nov 9 |  | @ Eastern Kentucky | L, 31-24 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Southern Utah | L, 38-31 |
| Sat, Nov 30 |  | @Tarleton State | 2:00 PM |
