May 26, 2007

GREENVILLE, N.C. -

Memphis 2, No. 2 Rice 1
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No. 5 Memphis (36-24)   000 200 000 - 2 4 0
No. 1 Rice (47-12)      000 010 000 - 1 6 0

Memphis managed just four hits in the game, but fortunately for the Tigers those two base knocks were back-to-back home runs on consecutive pitches by Bill Moss and Adam Amar in the fourth inning. Reliever Matt Yokley then worked out a jam in the eighth and retired the side in the ninth to earn his single-season record ninth save of the year to lead Memphis to a 2-1 win over top-seed and No. 2 nationally ranked Rice in the first semifinal contest on day four of the Conference USA Championship. The win is the first against Rice for Memphis, and snaps an eight-game losing skid to the Owls.

In a pitcher's dual, the Tigers were no-hit by Owl starter Chris Kelley through three innings before Moss belted a no-doubter over the leftfield wall to give Memphis a 1-0 lead. Moss 13th round-tripper of his senior campaign ties him for the league lead with teammate Joey Lieberman. Amar grabbed a hold on the momentum and cranked the next pitch just over the right centerfield for a two-run lead.

Starter Will Hudgens (5-2) cruised through five innings and kept Rice from producing the clutch hit. Hudgens avoided danger and held the Owls to just three hits and struck out a pair before handing the ball to Dusty Davis. Hudgens' lone run came on a sac fly by Jared Gayhart in the fifth inning. Davis retired the first seven batters he faced before giving up a single to pinch hitter Chad Lembeck.

Aaron Luna followed Lembeck with a double to the leftfield corner and it looked as if the Owls were poised to start a rally. Davis intentionally walked C-USA Player of the Year Joe Savery to set up a possible inning-ending double play. With the bases loaded Yokley induced a fielder's choice ground ball by pinch hitter J.P. Padron and a ground out to work out of the jam.

Tyler Henley led off the bottom of the ninth with a single and was moved to second on a sac bunt. Yokley again came through, getting Jordan Dodson to line out to Tyler Huelsing in leftfield before ending the contest with a strikeout. His ninth save of the year passes the eight save captured by Chad Harville in 1996 and Jeff Ince in 1994.

Kelley was tagged with the loss despite a strong effort. The loss snapped a C-USA record 20-game winning streak by the Owls. The junior worked seven frames, allowed four hits and fanned eight. Bobby Bramhall worked two scoreless innings.

Memphis will now take on Rice for the sixth time in nine days at 4 p.m.