Feb. 27, 2000

Box Score

Memphis, TN - The University of Memphis played two games today to make up for yesterday's rainouts at Millington in the Service Academies Classic. In the first game, Memphis faced Ohio State, the defending Big Ten Conference Champions. In the second game Memphis faced Notre Dame, who is currently ranked 21st in the country.

In the morning game, the Tigers hung close to the Buckeyes and only trailed by one run after four innings. Then, Ohio State put up eight runs in the fifth inning and never looked back. The Tigers came back with three runs in the seventh, but couldn't catch the red hot Buckeyes, who closed out the last inning with two runs to make the final 11-4.

The Tigers were led offensively by Wes Crane, who went 2-3 and by Daniel Uggla, who was 1-2 with two RBI. Tyler Shelton also had two RBI in the morning game. Jonathan Leicester got the loss for the Tigers, going 4.1 innings and giving up five earned runs. Nick Rogers made his debut for the Tigers on the mound, going 1.2 innings of hitless baseball and walking one. Rogers is a freshman from Olive Branch, Mississippi.

In the second game, Memphis faced Notre Dame, who was looking to bounce back from its 6-5 loss to Ohio State on Friday. Memphis jumped out to an early lead, scoring once in the first inning when Jay Fik singled in Paul Reuer in the first inning. The Tigers stretched the lead to 2-0 in the second inning when Paul Reuer reached on an error and scored Barrett Smith. Notre Dame first got on the board in the fourth inning on a Sacrifice fly to centerfield by Matt Nussbaum that scored one. Then Brian Stavisky tied the score in the sixth inning on a towering solo home run to right center. Paul Reuer immediately took back the lead in the seventh with his own home run. But in the bottom of the seventh inning third baseman Andrew Bushey doubled in the game winning run and the Tigers were unable to come back again.

Jason Wiedmeyer went 7.2 innings for the Tigers, and looked very strong for most of the afternoon, giving up only eight hits to a very potent offensive team. "It was a well-pitched game, said Tiger head coach Jeff Hopkins. "We swung our bats well and waited on good pitches. Their power hurt us in the end." The loss brings Wiedmeyer to 0-2 on the season, and the Tigers to 0-8 overall.