April 4, 2000

Memphis, Tn - The University of Memphis Tiger baseball team (9-20, 3-5), lost to the Indians of Arkansas State (16-13) Tuesday night, 4-2. Despite out-hitting ASU, 11 hits to their five, Memphis just couldn't drive in the necessary runs and now must re-group for a trip down south, where they will tangle with SEC foe Ole Miss tomorrow night in Oxford, Mississippi.

After witnessing the Indians grab a run to start the game off in the first. The Tigers answered right back in the bottom half of the inning, when senior left fielder Henry Castor hit a single to right and scored sophomore second baseman Daniel Uggla from second, tying the score at 1-1. Memphis would then get burned by a local prospect, as Darrin Hope (Germantown H.S.) hit a lead-off blast over the left field wall and all of a sudden Arkansas State led 2-1, entering the bottom of the third. The Indians got another run off a solo blast to right and they then led 3-1, going into the bottom of the fourth. The Tigers however, would retaliate in the fifth when sophomore center-fielder Paul Reuer reached on a fielders choice, driving in junior third baseman Tyler Shelton and making it a 3-2 ballgame heading into the sixth. That however was as far as Memphis would get, as Arkansas State would get another run in the eighth before closing the door on the Tigers.

Shelton had the hot stick, going 3-for-4 with three singles and also scored a run. Castor looked good early, going 2-for-4 with two singles and an RBI.

Freshman pitcher Andy Whitten (1-1) started the game and also absorbed the loss for Memphis, going four full while allowing three earned runs on four hits while walking one and fanning three. Freshman pitcher Nick Rogers (Olive Branch H.S.) went for three innings of relief work and faced 10 batters, retiring eight. Junior pitcher Layne Dawson followed Rogers and worked two full while allowing one earned run on one hit and walked one while striking out three.

The winning pitcher for Arkansas State was Robbie Cuffia (1-0), who went four innings and allowed four hits while fanning six Tiger batters, in his first win of the season.

The Tigers will now travel to Oxford, Mississippi to take on the Rebels of Ole Miss, tomorrow night Wednesday April 5th at 6:30 p.m. Memphis will be looking to improve it's record against SEC opponents this year, as their record now stands at 1-2 versus the Southeastern Conference. Earlier this year, the Tigers dropped two straight to the Bulldogs of Mississippi State out in Millington, before eventually defeating the Commodores of Vanderbilt, at home.