April 21, 2008

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis baseball team looks to bounce back from a tough weekend, as they travel to Murfreesboro, Tenn., take on in-state Middle Tennessee in a non-conference showdown on April 22-23. Game times are set for 6 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.

Pitching Matchups
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Memphis - Fr., LHP, Ryan Holland
Middle Tennessee - So., RHP, Chad Edwards

Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Memphis - So., LHP, Brennon Martin
Middle Tennessee - TBA

About the Tigers
Memphis went 2-3 in non-conference last week. The Tigers got off to a good start, banging in 17 runs in a win over Murray State on Tuesday. Sophomore Brennon Martin was masterful on Wednesday night, striking out seven in a 91-pitch complete-game gem to lead Memphis to a 7-3 victory over UT-Martin in the Razz Classic held at Pringle Park. Martin scattered nine hits and allowed single runs in the first, third and fifth innings, before holding the Skyhawks to just three hits over the final three innings of play. The Tiger southpaw did not walk a batter in the contest.

The tides were turned in the weekend series versus DBU. Memphis squandered a pair of big opportunities to claim victory in the seventh and ninth innings in a 4-3 loss.

The Memphis offense is last in C-USA with a .249 average. Still no Tiger hitters have returned to the .300 mark. Brett Bowen leads the team with a .287 average, 28 RBI and 10 doubles. After going homerless in the first 35 games of the season, junior Cole Shelton has found his swing, knocking two round-trippers in the last four games. He homered in the first inning against UT-Martin and then blasted a game-tying two-run shot in the ninth inning in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader.

Tiger pitchers log a 5.30 ERA, while opponents hit .295 against them. Scott McGregor had one of the more effective outings of the season in Friday's loss to Dallas Baptist. The righthander, held one of the nation's top offenses in check with one of his strongest outings of the year, scattering six hits and fanning six in six innings. He allowed just one earned run and walked one batter. McGregor leads all starters with a 4.26 ERA in 57 innings. His 42 K's are also the most on the staff. Brach Davis has worked into the weekend rotation and has 35 strikeouts. Tuesday's starter, Ryan Holland is 1-2 with a 5.93 ERA. The southpaw has made six starts and has 30 strikeouts. Opponent's hit just .226 against him. Game two starter Martin leads the staff with a 4-1 record.

Scouting Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee touts a 20-17-1 mark on the year. The Blue Raiders lone tie came in the fourth game of the season when they played to a 6-6 tie versus Tennessee Tech. Led by Steve Peterson and his son, former Tiger John, MT is one of the strongest offensive teams in the nation, hitting .335 with an astounding 65 home runs. Three Blue Raiders have 10 or more homers, beginning with Rawley Bishop and Bryce Brentz, who both have hit 12. Nathan Hines has 10 round-trippers. Bishop hits .347 and leads the squad with 52 RBI. Blake McDade is the team's leading hitter, checking in with a blistering .400 average and 13 doubles. Hines is second on the team, batting .376. He leads the club with 65 hits, 15 doubles and four triples.

On the hill, the Blue Raiders have struggled, being tagged for a 6.59 ERA and staff opponents average of .306. Brentz, a two-way star leads the staff with a 2.20 ERA and a .178 opponent's batting average. Chad Edwards, who will toe the rubber in the series opener on Tuesday, is 2-1, with a 5.17 ERA. He has 16 strikeouts in five starts and opponents hit .305 against him.

All-Time Series vs. Middle Tennessee
Memphis is 36-31 all-time versus Middle Tennessee. In the series that began in 1983, one team has swept each of the last five two-game series. Memphis took both games in 2007, and swept the first two-game series at home in '06. Middle swept the two-game set in Murfreesboro in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Middle Tennessee has been a tough place for the Tigers to play late in the year. The Blue Raiders have won seven straight games over the Tigers at Reese Smith Field.

Last Time Dallas Baptist 16, Memphis 2
Memphis, Tenn. -- Memphis could not rebound from a heartbreaking loss on Friday night as Dallas completed the series sweep on Saturday with a pair of wins in a doubleheader.

Cole Shelton's two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth evened the contest at 4-4, but DBU answered with two run in the 10th and then held the Tigers off the board in the home half for the 6-4 win.

Game two was no better for the Tigers as the Patriots ran off with a 16-2 win. Memphis was held to just four hits and never really threatened. An eight-run seventh inning by DBU put the contest out of reach and gave the U of M its fourth straight weekend series loss.