April 10, 2011

HUNTINGTON, W. Va. - The University of Memphis softball team couldn't get the final game of its three-game Conference USA series with Marshall completed, with game three getting called due to the drop-dead rule.

The rule, made to prevent conflicts in travel arrangements for visiting teams, requires both head coaches to be in agreement with the time prior to the start of the game. The drop dead time for the game was set at 4:15 p.m. ET. At 4:15, the game ended with two outs in the top of the fifth. In order for a game to be official, five innings must be completed or four and a half with the home team ahead. Due to travel constraints, this game will not be resumed or made up.

For the Tigers, that means they sweep Marshall (albeit in a shortened series) for the first time in the program's history. The Tigers were trailing 1-0 in the fifth before the game was called. It is also the second-straight season Memphis has earned the series win.

The ending of this series brings about a brief pause to the conference schedule for Memphis. The Tigers will be without a C-USA foe this week, but will host Ohio Valley Conference squads Tennessee State, Wednesday, in a doubleheader and will travel to Murray State, Friday, for a two-game set. Wednesday's doubleheader begins at 2 p.m. at the Tiger Softball Complex.