March 3, 2008

Week Five Game Notes

For Immediate Release
Contact: Brandon Kolditz
wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 871-5475

ALCORN STATE, Miss. - The University of Memphis will play a doubleheader at Alcorn State on Tuesday at 2 and 4 p.m. at the Lady Braves Field in Alcorn State, Miss.

The Tigers enter the midweek match-up 9-8 after finishing 1-3 at the Residence Inn Invitational hosted by No. 9/10 Oklahoma. Alcorn State is 5-10 and 1-3 in the SWAC. The Lady Braves were swept in a conference doubleheader last week by Southern University.

Memphis is 2-0 all-time against Alcorn State with a doubleheader sweep last season at the Tiger Softball Complex. The last time Memphis faced Alcorn State, Jenna Kubesch threw a 7-0 no hitter on April 12, 2007. Junior Kimmi Hayden went 2-for-4 in the game with three RBI and two home runs. Leila Dolfo led off the game with a solo home run.

Memphis beat Alcorn State 11-3 in six innings in the first game of the doubleheader. Senior Lindsay Kelso had a triple in the game with two runs scored and two RBI. Memphis had six extra base hits, including four doubles.

Alcorn State returns just three starters from last year's squad and brings in an entirely different pitching squad. Key returners are senior second baseman Amber Steeves, senior catcher Becky Mason and senior first baseman Melinda Ellis. Steeves went 2-for-3 with an RBI in the first game against Memphis. She is a preseason first team All-SWAC selection and Mason and Ellis were second team picks.

The Lady Braves have victories this season against South Carolina State (2), Hampton University, Grambling State and Louisiana Tech. Alcorn State is 2-8 in its last 10 games and is currently in a two-game losing streak.

Last week, Memphis opened the Residence Inn Invitational with a 4-0 shutout pitched by freshman lefty Janelle Valle against North Texas. The U of M then lost two five-inning shutouts to Oklahoma and were defeated 5-4 by North Texas as the Mean Green staged a four-run rally in the final inning.

Freshman first baseman/catcher Kailey Kassner broke out with two multi-hit games for the Tigers at the tournament, picking up two hits in both games against North Texas. Kassner also had her first multi-RBI game after hitting a two-run single against the Mean Green on Sunday. The Elk Grove Village, Ill., native raised her batting average over 100 points from .200 to .304 after hitting .500 in the four games.

Both games of the doubleheader against Alcorn State can be followed live through GameTracker. A link to the livestats can be found at GoTigersGo.com.

Memphis will next play a midweek doubleheader at home against Central Arkansas on Wednesday at 3 and 5 p.m. at the Tiger Softball Complex. The Tigers will close the week by opening conference play with a three-game home set against Marshall beginning on Saturday with a doubleheader at 1 and 3 p.m. and the third game played on Sunday at noon.