Moberg Homers, Vols Fall Short at Memphis, 4-1

Saturday, February 18

Memphis

3:00 PM

University of Tennessee

1-1

Memphis

1-1

Tennessee

Memphis

February 18, 2017 | Baseball

Box Score

Feb. 18, 2017

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- A solo home run off the bat of redshirt senior Jeff Moberg gave Tennessee an early lead over Memphis on Saturday, but the Tigers battled back to take a 4-1 win and even the series at 1-1 at FedExPark.

On Sunday, the Volunteers will take on Memphis in a 2 p.m. ET matchup, as Knoxville native Will Neely looks to lead Tennessee to its first series win in Memphis since the 1981 season.

Following up a 2-for-3 performance in Friday's season opener win, Moberg (1-for-3) kickstarted the Vols' offense early on Saturday with a deep, solo home run to left field in the first inning.

The two teams traded scoreless frames until the bottom of the fourth, when a leadoff double and sacrifice bunt put runners in scoring position for the Tigers. Memphis went on to plate two runs in the inning and take their first lead over UT in the series.

The Tigers held a one-run advantage until the eighth, when Memphis first baseman Trent Turner knocked a two-run homer to left-center field and gave his squad a 4-1 lead entered the ninth.

In UT's last turn at the plate, catcher Benito Santiago reached base via walk with one out, but back-to-back flyouts to right field secured the win for Memphis.

Junior lefty Zach Warren went 4.0 innings in his first start of the season, allowing two runs on four hits against his 19 batters faced for the loss.

Freshman righty and former Sevier County standout Zach Linginfelter entered in relief of Warren in the fifth. In his first collegiate appearance, Linginfelter threw 4.0 innings and surrendered two runs on three hits while striking out three Memphis batters.

Tennessee Quick Hits

With the loss, Tennessee moves to 16-21 in its all-time series vs. the Tigers. Tennessee is playing its first three-game series in Memphis since 1981.
For the second straight game, Tennessee posted four freshmen in its starting lineup: Andre Lipcius (first base), Justin Ammons (right field), Pete Derkay (designated hitter) and Jay Charleston (left field).
Freshman Jay Charleston made his collegiate debut in left field for the Volunteers on Saturday.
Zach Linginfelter tossed 4.0 innings in relief on Saturday, his first collegiate appearance at UT.
Freshman infielder Brandon Chinea entered the game in the eighth as a pinch-runner for pinch-hitter Will Heflin.
In total, Vol Baseball has now witnessed 10 players (including nine freshmen) make their Tennessee debuts during the Memphis series.
Jeff Moberg's solo home run in the first inning was the second of his career and his first since March 17, 2015 vs. Austin Peay. The homer also marked the second for Tennessee in this series vs. Memphis (also, Jordan Rodgers' two-run homer on Friday).
On Deck for the Vols: Knoxville native Will Neely gets the Sunday start vs. Tigers right-hander Connor Alexander for the series finale, beginning at 2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. CT) at FedExPark.
Saturday's attendance at FedExPark: 1,489