Memphis baseball will have a chance to start a season with four straight series wins for the first time since 1994 thanks to a walk-off single by CJ Willis that earned the Tigers a 5-4 victory Saturday in 10 innings over Southeastern Louisiana.

Willis hadn’t made a single plate appearance until his number was called in the final inning with the bases loaded and one out. He singled to right center to bring home James Smith IV and Seth Cox, who scored the winning run with a celebratory dive into home. 

“When you’re coming off the bench to come into the game, you have to keep yourself locked in for (multiple) innings,” Willis said. “I mean, I didn’t get my opportunity until the 10th inning.

Why ‘Skip’ is more than a nickname to Tigers baseball coach Matt Riser

“Finally, that moment when your name is called, you just have to have confidence in yourself. Believe that you’re the man for the job. It’s not really anything mental, specifically. It’s just the confidence.”

Memphis (9-5) will wrap up its home series with Southeastern Louisiana (11-3) with the final game at 1:05 p.m. Sunday, March 9 at FedExPark.

The Tigers only had four hits, but the nine walks allowed Memphis to create enough offense to win the second game of the series against Tigers coach Matt Riser’s former school. SLU won the first game 7-4 Friday.

“If you’re not going to just smoke the baseball, you’ve got to find ways to still be productive,” Riser said. “You know, we took our (hit-by-pitch) today.”

SLU earned its runs with two big swings. The Lions took a 2-0 lead after TJ Salvaggio hit a two-run homer in the third inning. Memphis scored its first run after Smith made it home on a wild pitch in the fourth.

Tigers freshman Carter McKay delivering early behind big bat

Both teams pitched well, and the game didn’t see another run until Cy Turner scored on Smith’s fielder’s choice in the eighth inning to tie the game at 2.

David Case started on the mound for the Tigers and struck out five and allowed two hits in 4.1 innings pitched. Kylan Stepter, the last of five Memphis pitchers, pitched the final two innings to get the win.

“I’m really proud of our bullpen, Riser said. “(Davis) Oswalt (who pitched 2.2 innings of scoreless relief) has been Steady Eddie for us, man. He came out with a demeanor about himself. We pitched out of a lot of situations to keep the score the way it was.”

When SLU took a 4-2 lead after another two-run homer in the 10th inning, Memphis didn’t panic. The Tigers battled at the plate with three straight walks and a hit-by-pitch, which allowed Memphis to cut the SLU lead to 4-3. Willis then won the game with his two-run RBI single.

Tigers baseball fails to sweep series against Valparaiso, but takes two of three

“CJ Willis, man of the hour,” Riser said. “Couldn’t happen to a better human being than a guy that everybody is rooting for.

“We knew when CJ walked up there it was the right man, right spot. You could just feel the goosebumps starting to come over you a little bit that he was going to get the job done. Just really proud and happy for that young man and our club.”