April 14, 2008

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis baseball team will wrap up a five-game road swing, with midweek games on Tues., April 15, and Wed., April 16. The Tigers will travel to Murray, Ky. to face the Murray State Thoroughbreds at 3 p.m., before making their second trip to Pringles Park in Jackson, Tenn., where the will battle it out with the UT-Martin Skyhawks at 6:05 p.m.

About the Tigers
Memphis has had an up-and-down season with its last four contests summing up the 13-21 record. The Tigers snapped a nine-game losing skid last Tuesday with a 9-8 extra-inning win over Mississippi State. Cole Shelton's two-run single pushed the Tigers to victory to send them into the weekend's C-USA series with UCF on a high note. However, a fast start by the UCF offense was too much for the young crew to overcome in a 10-6 loss. But the Tigers bounced back on Saturday to even the series with an 8-7 win in 1- innings. Another game-winning hit--this one by Tyler Huelsing--gave Memphis the victory and ended a seven-game conference losing skid. But again the Knights got out to a big lead to cruise to a 10-6 decision in the finale.

The Tigers hit just .246 as a team with no one hitting over .290. Brett Bowen's .289 average and 25 RBI lead the team. Bowen, the primary run-producer on the team, homered twice in the 8-7 win at UCF on Saturday. He snapped a 13-game homerless streak for Memphis. Bowen and freshman Chad Zurcher have a team-high eight doubles, while Trey Wiedman has five home runs.

U of M pitchers have maintained an ERA under 5.00, checking into the midweek at 4.98. Will Hudgens leads the staff with 37 strikeouts. Scott McGregor follows closely with 36 K's. Matt Yokley has held opponents to a staff-low .213 batting average. The junior has 32 strikeouts in 20 innings of relief. The Tigers have also gotten solid contributions from lefthanders Neil Schenk and Marcus Barnes. Schenk, a senior, leads the team with a 2.13 ERA in 13 outings, while Barnes is next with a 3.43 ERA in 10 appearances. Both hold opposing hitters under .260 hitting. Tuesday starter Marc Ashley is making his second start in as many weeks since an early-season injury. The Collierville High product is 1-2 on the year with a 4.43 ERA. He has 16 strikeouts. Wednesday, the Tigers will send southpaw Brennon Martin to the hill. Martin, who leads the staff with a 3-1 record, is 7-2 in his career at Memphis. He has a 4.95 ERA in six appearances. Opponents hit just .279 with 13 strikeouts against him.

Scouting Murray State
Murray State comes into the week with a 12-17 record and has lost six of its last seven, including dropping consecutive OVC weekend series to SEMO and Eastern Illinois. The Thoroughbreds hit .259 as a team, with 228 strikeouts. Wes Cunningham leads the team with a .402 batting average. Kyle Tiernan paces the `Breds offense with 34 hits, six doubles and 15 RBI. He also leads the team in strikeouts, with 32.

On the mound, Murray yields 5.04 earned runs per nine innings. Opponents hit .294 against the staff. Chris Craycraft is 3-2 with a 3.16 ERA. Daniel Calhoun leads Murray State with 40 strikeouts to go with a 3.26 ERA and a 2-2 record. Jake Donze with toe the rubber for the `Breds on Tuesday. The southpaw, who is the team's top reliever, has struggled to a 1-4 record and an 11.57 ERA. He has struck out 22 in 23.1 innings, but has also walked 19. Donze leads the team with two saves and opponents hit .343 against him.

All-Time Series vs. Murray State
Murray State swept the season series in 2007, and extended it win streak over Memphis to four straight games with the 9-8 win on February 27. However, Memphis continues to lead the all-time series 58-33. The U of M last defeated Murray State in 2006, when they capped a season-sweep with a 12-1 triumph.

Last Time vs. the Thoroughbreds
Murray State 9, Memphis 8
MEMPHIS, Tenn.--Freshman Ryan Holland struck out eight in his collegiate debut, but several defensive mistakes allowed Murray State to score five unearned runs as Memphis missed an opportunity to extend its win streak to three games with a 9-8 loss.

Ahead 8-7 in the top of the ninth, Memphis was unable to hold the lead as Murray got singles from Elliot Frey and Blake Helm to lead off the stanza. With one out and runners on second and third, closer Matt Yokley struck out Tyler Owen, but the pitch got away from catcher Chris Kirkland. Frey raced homeward as Kirkland's attempt to cut down the run skipped wide. Helm rounded third and headed for home on the errant throw and slid in safely for the go-ahead run.

Cole Shelton, Trey Wiedman and Chad Zurcher posted multiple hits in the game. Wiedman extended his streak of consecutive hits to a program record tying seven straight at-bats with a 2-for-2 outing.

Tiger reliever Will Hudgens took the loss in an inning of work. Murray State's Drew Leeper pitched just 1.1 innings to pick up the win. Thoroughbred's reliever Jake Donze earned the save.

Scouting the Skyhawks
UT-Martin has battled to a 4-26 mark this year. The Skyhawks have had losing streaks of nine, 10 and six this year. They won their first Ohio Valley game with a 6-3 triumph over Eastern Kentucky in the weekend series. UTM hits just .257 as a team, but has three players hitting .300 or better. Shayne Martin has started in 21 games and hits a team-leading .328. Kyle Dudley bats at a .324 clip and paces the offense in runs scored (21), hits (36), doubles (7), RBI (24) and walks (15). He shares the team lead of three home runs with Bryce Carden and William Blackmon. Scott Gladstone has started in all 30 games and hits .310 with 16 RBI and a pair of homers.

Opponents have touched up UT-Martin pitchers to the tune of an 8.30 ERA and a .353 batting average. Eric Walker leads the team with a 5.24 ERA and 29 strikeouts, while Calen Sutton's two wins is tops on the staff. Sutton and Wes Patterson have one save each.

All-Time Series vs. UT-Martin
Memphis won the first game of the 2008 season series, 10-7, on February 26 in Memphis. That win stretched the Tigers' win streak over the Skyhawks to 14 straight games, dating back to the 2000 season opener. Memphis has been more successful against UT-Martin than any other opponent. The Tigers are 30-3 all-time versus the Skyhawks--a 90.9 winning percentage.

Last Time vs. the Skyhawks
Memphis 10, UT-Martin 7
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Sophomore Trey Wiedman went 5-for-5 and cranked his first collegiate home run to power a 14-hit attack in a 10-7 triumph over UT-Martin on Tuesday evening at Nat Buring Stadium. Memphis evens its record at 2-2 with its 14th consecutive win over the Skyhawks.

Besides Wiedman, sophomore lefthander Brennon Martin was the star of the game as he cruised through six innings and fanned five to pick up his first win of the year. Neil Schenk came on in the ninth to squash a late Skyhawks rally and earn his first career save.

Five Tigers posted multiple hits, including senior K.K. Chalmers, who went 2-for-5, with three stolen bases, two runs scored and a triple. He tied the program's career mark with his 13th triple. Brett Bowen, Cole Shelton and Robby Graham also had two hits each.