Memphis Drops Video games to Northwestern and Arizona State on Last Day of Kajikawa Classic

TEMPE, Ariz. – The University of Memphis (2-3) softball staff fell in video games in opposition to RV Northwestern (3-2) and RV Arizona State (4-1) through the last day of the 2026 Kajikawa Classic.

After falling by run rule in opposition to the Wildcats, Memphis held Arizona State to only one run by way of six innings whereas placing up three earlier than falling by a walk-off hit within the backside of the seventh. 

GAME ONE: Memphis 5, (RV) Northwestern 14

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Northwestern jumped out to an early lead with a five-inning first, benefiting from a Memphis error and in addition scoring on a two-run double, fielder’s selection and bases-loaded stroll. 
• Three runs within the second inning by the Wildcats put the Tigers at an 8-0 deficit with one other two-run double and a wild pitch permitting a run to attain.
• Northwestern added to its lead with two dwelling runs, together with a grand slam, within the third inning.
• Memphis answered with its first run of the sport coming off a single by Paris Brienesse that scored Aubrey Williams from third.

  • Williams beforehand reached on a single to finish the no-hit bid and superior to 3rd on a stolen base and throwing error by the Wildcats. 

• After a scoreless fourth inning, Northwestern tacked on a run with a solo dwelling run by Kate Renschen.
• In its last at-bats, Memphis put up 4 runs, benefiting from Northwestern miscues on a fielding error, two wild pitches, together with Williams logging an RBI single to attain Jasmine Mack from second. 
  
   

GAME TWO: Memphis 3, (RV) Arizona State 4

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first half of the sport started as a pitchers’ duel, with Taniyah Brown and Arizona State’s Meika Lauppe going back-and-forth with scoreless frames. Through 4 innings, Brown logged two strikeouts and solely allowed two hits whereas Lauppe struck out 4 and allowed three hits.
• The lone run of the primary 4 innings got here on a fielder’s selection off the bat of Nehanda Lewis to offer the Sun Devils a one-run lead. 
• Locked in a stalemate, Ariel Davis stepped up and delivered a three-run dwelling run on the ten^th pitch of the at-bat to offer the Tigers a lead within the again half of the sport. 
• Brown continued to close down opposing Sun Devil hitters by way of the sixth inning.
• Memphis had an opportunity so as to add insurance coverage runs as Kennedy Semien led off the seventh with a double however was stranded at third after a sacrifice bunt was popped up and the ultimate batter of the inning struck out swinging.
• In the underside of the seventh, six-straight Sun Devil batters reached after a leadoff groundout, with a single and fielding error resulting in the bases being loaded after a stroll. 
• Brown was pulled with the bases loaded and Arizona State was capable of finish the sport on back-to-back walks with the bases loaded, adopted by the walk-off hit by Katie Chester to finish the sport.

NOTABLES

• After 5 video games, Memphis is outpacing its opponents in batting common, triples, slugging proportion and on-base proportion. 
• Six Tigers (Kennedy Semien, Ariel Davis, Mya Clark, Kylie Waldrep, Paris Brienesse, Taniyah Brown) all have an OPS above 1.000, with Semien, Davis and Clark holding marks above 1.400 whereas being certified hitters.

  • Clark is the staff’s chief with a 1.944 OPS. She and Semien proceed to be tied for the staff lead with 5 RBI. 
  • Qualified hitters will need to have a minimum of two plate appearances per recreation and performed 75 % of video games. 

• Nine totally different Tigers logged an RBI through the Kajikawa Classic, with 11 recording a run scored. 
• Of Memphis’ six pitchers utilized over the weekend, three (Rylee Dugar, Taniyah Brown, Avery Stutts) have 5 strikeouts and the Tigers maintain the sting in strikeouts by a fee of 22-to-15. 
• Ariel Davis was held hitless in opposition to Northwestern however stepped up with a three-run dwelling run for Memphis’ solely scoring play of its recreation in opposition to Arizona State. 

  • After the primary weekend of play, Davis is hitting .471 with a double, two triples, a house run and 5 RBI.
  • The dwelling run was additionally the second of Davis’ profession. 

• Kennedy Semien was 3-for-5 on the day, logging a success and run scored in opposition to Northwestern and two hits, together with a double, in opposition to the Sun Devils. 

  • She sits because the staff’s chief in batting common at .500 after 5 video games. 

• Aubrey Williams was 2-for-5 within the day’s contests, going 2-for-2 with an RBI in opposition to the Wildcats and making a number of web-gem performs in opposition to Arizona State. 
• Paris Brienesse was 2-for-3 in opposition to the Wildcats and Sun Devils, with an RBI in opposition to Northwestern and a run scored in opposition to Arizona State. 
• Deana Cunningham logged a run scored from a stroll in opposition to Northwestern. 

  • She, Semien and Davis are the one Tigers to have began each recreation of the Kajikawa Classic.

• Taniyah Brown leads the pitching workers with 8.1 innings pitched after tossing 6.1 innings in opposition to Arizona State within the later of Memphis’ two video games. 

UP NEXT

The Tigers return dwelling subsequent weekend to host the 901 Classic, with 5 video games in opposition to Ball State, Miami, Evansville, Kansas City and Southern Indiana from Feb. 13-15. 

HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS

For full info on Memphis Tigers Softball, go to www.GoTigersGo.com and observe the staff’s social media channels on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.