March 29, 2007
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -
The University of Memphis baseball team will look to get back to the win column this weekend when Head Coach Daron Schoenrock and the Tigers host Southern Miss in Memphis' first home C-USA series of the season. First pitch for Friday's series opener is set for 6:30 p.m.
The Tigers enter the weekend on a five-game losing streak. Since hitting the road, the Tigers have dropped five straight games, including being swept in the C-USA opening weekend at East Carolina. Memphis was most recently swept in a two-game midweek series at Mississippi State. The Tigers squandered an 8-3 lead in the first game of the series to fall 9-8 on Tuesday. Wednesday say Memphis cut an 11-4 deficit to 11-9 with five runs in the ninth only for the rally to fall just short. With its return to Nat Buring Stadium, Memphis looks for its fortunes to change for the better. The Tigers boast a five-game win streak at home after winning the last five games of a season-long seven-game homestand two weeks ago. Memphis is 7-1 at home this year, with its only loss coming to Illinois State--a game in which the Tigers crossed 13 runs. They average 8.6 runs per contest at "The Nat".
After being held to one run in the final two games of last weekend's series at East Carolina, Memphis' offense has powered up to hit .368 with four homers over the last two games against a strong Mississippi State club. Bill Moss continues to pace the team in batting average, checking in at .351. The senior, who also has a team-best eight homers, hit .448 with five home runs and 15 RBI at home. Chris Kirkland has swung the hottest bat on the team over the last six games. The junior backstop, who was hitting .154 prior to the series finale with Akron on March 18, has hit safely in each of the last six contests and has raised his average 187 points to .341. Michael Murray sports a team-best 11-game hit streak and has started in all 25 games this year. Reserve infielder Eric Farrell joins Moss and Kirkland as the lone Tiger hitters with averages over .300. The sophomore transfer from Birmingham Southern bats .333 with nine RBI and a pair of doubles. Memphis hits .267 as a team.
On the mound, Memphis has a staff ERA of 5.02. Dusty Davis has a staff-best 3.91 ERA to go with three wins. Sophomore reliever Matt Yokley also has three victories and a leads the staff with 28 strikeouts in 18.2 innings of work. McGregor has posted a 3.86 ERA in 18.2 frames since a tough outing versus Ole Miss in the season opener. Tigers pitchers have held opposing teams to a .263 clip at the plate.
Southern Miss is in the midst of a three-game losing streak with setbacks to No. 7 Rice in the last two games of last week's opening C-USA series and a midweek loss at No. 13 Ole Miss. They did, however, hand Rice a 9-3 loss in the league opener last Friday.
Currently 17-9, USM got the season started with seven straight victories. Since the Golden Eagles are just above .500 with 10 wins in the last 19 games. Two-time All-C-USA pick Trey Sutton leads Southern Miss in nearly every offensive category. He is the C-USA leader in hits (40), while leading the USM offensive attack with 28 runs scored, 23 RBI and eight doubles. Arkansas transfer James Ewing has made an immediate impact on the Golden Eagles lineup, hitting .307 with 12 RBI in 23 starts. His brother Michael is second to Sutton with 18 runs driven in.
Pitching is the strong point for Southern Miss. The staff is giving up just over four runs per contest, while holding opponents to .236. Ryan Belanger comes in as one of the leagues top pitchers, with a 1.88 ERA and a staff-best 39 strikeouts in 43 innings of work. His five wins are among the top in the league and opponents hit just .197 against him. Weekend starters Barry Bowden and David Clark have fared well this year. Bowden has a 1-3 record, but averages over a strikeout per inning. Clark is 3-2 with a 5.00 ERA in six appearances, but has a staff-high nine wild pitches. Former starter Patrick Ezell has moved to the closer role and has fit in well. He has six saves and a 1.35 ERA in 11 appearances.
Memphis trails the all-time series 35-45 after taking two games in Hattiesburg and then splitting a pair of meetings in the C-USA Tournament last year. Memphis eliminated Southern Miss, 8-5, to advance to the semifinal round of the 2007 Tournament.
