The University of Memphis swept the weekend in their first appearance at Tiger Softball Complex. The Tigers went 4-0 this weekend and will head on the road Wednesday to face Tennessee State.
Memphis played Fort Wayne Friday night. Memphis went on the board in the bottom of the second inning. Brooke Lee hit a home run give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
Fort Wayne responded in the third inning. Courtney Holm had advanced from second to third base on a wild pitch. After that, Lacey Wilzbacher singled down left field allowing Holm to score and tie the game.
Memphis stepped up on defense. The Tigers brought out Mariah Nichols to the mound, and did not allow Fort Wayne a single hit in the fourth and fifth innings. In the fifth inning, Fort Wayne grounded out three balls in a row to third base.
“(Mariah) was attacking the zone able to get some simple outs in the infield and make things easier for our defense,” head coach Natalie Poole said. “It’s easy to build on those moments.”
Memphis came out in the Baylee Smith’s fly ball was caught for the second out of the inning, and Jessie Lamb was able to steal home and score. Memphis led 2-1.
In the sixth inning, Memphis final run came from Ashley Threatt who had a single up the middle. The single allowed Tyler Johnson score and give the Tigers the final score 3-1.
Saturday Memphis played Bradley first in a double header. Shortstop Kyler Trosclair Klatt shined for the Tigers in the game.
Memphis sealed the deal in the fifth inning. Delaney Smith singled to left field which allowed Brooke Lee to score. Addison Maxwell stole home, while Delaney Smith stole to third base. With the bases loaded, Trosclair Klatt tripled and allowed Erin Parker, Johnson and Delaney Smith to score. The Tigers led 7-1. The Tigers won game 10-3.
“It’s a beautiful thing whenever (Trosclair Klatt) is getting two, three hits a game,” Poole said. “She looks confident. She is hitting for power as well as giving us base hits.”
Following that game Memphis played Louisiana Monroe. Although Baylee Smith and Brooke Lee each and an RBI in the first, Memphis headed into the bottom of the fifth down 5-2. Threatt hit a 3-run homer and Memphis took the lead 6-5.
“We needed (Threatt’s homer) huge,” Poole said. “I am pleased that she had the mindset to have something happen for us…We needed to shift momentum and that helped us.”
The next play Delaney Smith came out and hit a home run inside the park.
“She’s so aggressive on the bases, and she has such great speed that any kind of hold up, any kind of delay, or anything that they miss she’s going to capitalize on, so I was very excited,” Poole said.
Memphis won the game over Louisiana Monroe 7-5. Poole said Saturday that she wanted to see her team go 4-0 for the weekend after going 3-1 the previous weekend.
“I set the tone for tomorrow by telling them tonight to not come out satisfied,” she said.
Memphis faced University of Missouri Kansas City Sunday afternoon. Both teams were kept scoreless until the bottom of the third. Trosclair Klatt’s triple allowed her to score on Regan Hadley’s single. The Tigers led 1-0 after the third inning.
In the fourth inning Kendall Lee had a single RBI allowing Alexis Castleman to score. The next play, Trosclair Klatt hit a bases loaded single to right center, allowing Jessie Lamb and Delaney Smith to score. The Tigers led 4-0.
In the bottom of the fifth, Riley Walker was hit by a pitch, but the bases were loaded and Maxwell scored. Trosclair Klatt came out with bases loaded and Delaney Smith and Threatt scored off her single. Memphis led 7-0.
In the sixth Threatt hit a home run and Memphis took home the 8-0 victory on the run rule.
“That’s great for her confidence,” Poole says. “She’s a kid who clearly has the potential to do it…I hope this is a sign of what’s to come for her.”
Monday Trosclair Kaltt was named the American Athletic Conference player of the week for the first time in her career. Over the weekend she had a .667 batting average, had 8RBIs and three triples. She leads the NCAA with seven triples.
“It’s absolutely well-deserved,” Poole said of Trosclair Klatt’s honor.
The Tigers have are number one in NCAA softball with triples per game at .81 and are number nine in ERA at 1.09. Delaney Smith also leads the NCAA with stolen bases at 10.
Kyler Trosclair throws the ball. She earned American Athletic Conference Player of the Week for the first time in her career after her performance in the Blues City Classic.
Delaney Smith attempts a bunt. Smith leads the NCAA with stolen bases.
