Feb. 23, 2001

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Junior second baseman Daniel Uggla continued his torrid pace at the plate, going 3-for-5 including a solo home run and two doubles to lead the University of Memphis Tiger baseball team (4-0) over the Navy Midshipmen (0-5) on Friday evening, 11-2.

Uggla also finished with three RBI's and two runs scored to help sustain the U of M's perfect record at 4-0 on the season. With this performance, Uggla now owns a .615 clip at the plate.

As a team, the Tigers had nine hits going into the top of the fifth inning, compared with four for the Midshipmen.

The Midshipmen got started early, after John Cocca ripped a leadoff triple to deep center field, which gave Navy a 1-0 lead. Five batters later, the Midshipmen had gone ahead 2-0 with three hits after the top half of the first.

The Tigers roared back during the bottom half of the inning when Uggla, blasted a solo shot over the wall in left-center which got Memphis on the board and made the score 2-1, after one.

Memphis added three more runs in the bottom of the third, after Uggla came through again with a double to left-center which scored junior designated-hitter Paul Reuer and freshman shortstop Michael Lewis (Germantown H.S.), making the score 3-2. Redshirt-junior Jay Fik (Christian Brothers H.S.) was the next man at the plate and like Uggla, he too came through for the U of M, slapping a single down the right field line to score Uggla from second, giving the Tigers a 4-2 advantage after three.

In the bottom of the fourth, the U of M then snagged six more runs to move ahead 10-2. Junior center fielder Ryan O'Malley started things off with a two-run shot over the wall in left which scored freshman right fielder Josh Payne (Houston H.S.) from third. Payne had started things off with a triple to deep center field (his second of the year). A wild pitch and a bases-loaded double by senior third baseman Tyler Shelton got the Tigers three more runs and gave Memphis an eight-run lead going into the top of the fifth.

Memphis would eventually score one more run in the bottom of the eighth to wrap up their fourth win, in as many tries.

Payne helped the cause going 2-for-5 with a triple, a run scored and one RBI. Lewis also had a solid game with a 2-for-5 effort at the plate as well, including three runs scored. Shelton's double was virtually the game winning hit, as it blew the door wide-open for the Tigers.

Jason Wiedmeyer (2-0) earned his second win of the season, after going for five innings of work and allowing only four hits and two earned runs. Sophomore pitcher Andy Whitten came on for three solid innings and shut the door on the Midshipmen, giving up only one hit while walking two. Redshirt-freshman Matt Fry (Briarcrest H.S.) saw his first action as a Tiger and faced four batters while retiring three.

"We really swung the bats well and took advantage of the opportunities that came our way," said Head Coach Dave Anderson. "It was great to come from behind and get a win like this. We had some big hits come from O'Malley and Uggla with his two doubles was huge. It was great that we took advantage of several bases-loaded situations. Wiedmeyer did a great job and Whitten did exactly what we wanted by coming in and shutting them (Navy) down. It was just a solid overall effort and a great win."

For the Midshipmen, Brian Whitten went 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored. Brian Pennell (0-2) took the loss for Navy, going for three innings and giving up three earned runs and six hits.