March 7, 2008

ATHENS, Ga. -

Complete Georgia Notes

After playing the first 10 games of the 2008 season in the Memphis area, Head Coach Daron Schoenrock and his young Tiger baseball squad will hit the road for the first time this weekend when they travel to Athens, Ga., for a three-game weekend series versus the Georgia Bulldogs, Mar. 7-9.

First pitch for Friday night's series opener is set for 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday's game time is slated for 3 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.

As has been the case with each of Memphis' last two opponents-Ohio University and Creighton-there is no history between the Tigers and Bulldogs. This weekend's series marks the first time the two institutions have ever met on the baseball diamond.

Wiedman Named C-USA co-Hitter of the Week
Sophomore first baseman Trey Wiedman was named Conference USA co-Hitter of the Week on Monday, marking his first-ever weekly honor. For the week, Wiedman batted .647 (11-for-17), with seven RBI, three home runs and three runs scored. He posted multiple hits and homered in all three Memphis wins, including banging a solo shot and a three-run blast in consecutive games to help the Tigers win the weekend series versus Ohio University. In addition, he was perfect at the plate in three of the five games this week.

Last Time Out
Creighton 11-10, Memphis 3-8
Memphis pitchers combined to walk 19 hitters on the day. Creighton compounded that stat by breaking open a close game with five runs in the eight en route to an 11-3 game one win, and then exploding for six runs in the fourth inning of game two to sweep the Tigers with a 10-8 decision in the nightcap.

About the Tigers
Memphis brings a 4-6 mark into the weekend series after being swept in a doubleheader by Creighton on Wednesday. in 10 games, Memphis has yet to play a true road game as all 10 contests have been played in the Memphis area-a first since the 1981 season.

The Tiger have struggled offensively, mainly due to the fact that Schoenrock starts relative rookies all the way around the diamond. With the exception of senior centerfielder K.K. Chalmers and senior catcher Chris Kirkland, no Tiger starter has seen as much as half a season of action at the Division I level.

Trey Wiedman leads the Tiger offense that hits just .260 on the year. The redshirt sophome hits .389 and is on pace to break the Memphis single-season home runs record with four through 10 games. He leads the team with 10 RBI. JUCO transfer Brett Bowen is next, hitting .342, while freshman Robby Graham bats .308. Chalmers has two triples and is 7-for-8 in stolen bases.

The mound is the strong point of the Tiger roster. Led by Scott McGregor's staff-low 1.46 ERA, Memphis pitchers have put together a 4.70 ERA. McGregor is joined by freshman Ryan Holland for the staff lead with 12 strikeouts. Senior middle reliever Neil Schenk has given the Tigers three solid outings, registering a save and seven K's in six innings. He has a 1.50 ERA. Matt Yokley has a 0.00 ERA with two saves and six strikeouts in three appearances.

Scoutin' the Bulldogs
Georgia is 3-4 on the year, but don't let the record fool you. The Bulldogs have played perhaps the top schedule in the counrty to this point in the early season. Considering its competition, Georgia has done well and has alot to be excited about.

The Bulldogs opened the season with back-to-back wekend series vs. No. 1 Arizona and No. 12 and reigning national champ Oregon State. Despite losing both sets, Georgia did come away with a pair of wins, including a 9-7 victory over the top-ranked Wildcats in the season-opener and a 12-5 win over OSU. The Bulldogs have won two of the last three, including a 19-1 beat-down of Jacksonville State on Wednesday.

Schoenrock and Perno Connection
Although the two schools have never played in baseball, there is one connection between Memphis and Georgia-the head coaches. Memphis skipper Daron Schoenrock and UGA coach Dave Perno are good friends, having worked together as assistant coaches at Georgia under Ron Polk from 2000-01. The duo helped lead Georgia to an SEC title and a College World Series appearance in 2001.