March 3, 2009

Game Notes

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

MEMPHIS - The University of Memphis softball team hosts a midweek doubleheader against Central Arkansas on Wednesday at 2 and 4 p.m. at the Tiger Softball Complex.

The game was moved from an original Tuesday match-up. The Tigers (8-8) will have their final tune-up against UCA (10-10) before starting Conference USA play on Saturday at UTEP.

The Tigers are 2-0 all-time against the Bears and swept a doubleheader last year in Memphis. The U of M earned a 9-1 victory in six innings in game one, but needed some late inning heroics to pull of the win in game two. The Tigers came back from a 2-0 early deficit to take the game into extra innings. The Bears hit a two-run homer in the top of the eighth that Memphis then matched in the bottom of the inning. The Tigers then scored in the bottom of the ninth to claim the victory. Memphis is 2-1 all-time against teams from the Southland Conference.

Last week Memphis began with a midweek doubleheader sweep at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, out-scoring the Lady Lions 18-3 in the two games. The Tigers allowed just three hits in the two games. The U of M then hosted its third annual Blues City Classic that was cut short due to weather. Memphis played just one game in the tournament, a 9-4 loss to UMKC.

Memphis head coach Windy Thees is three wins away from victory No. 100 at Memphis. In her fourth year with the U of M since starting the program in 2006, Thees has compiled a 97-89 record. She is 260-181 all-time through nine seasons overall.

The Tigers have recorded 10 or more hits in the last three games. Memphis began the stretch with a season high 16 hits in game one of a doubleheader with Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The U of M then had 10 hits in game two and 10 hits against UMKC. Memphis has had 10 hits or more in six games this season and is 5-1 in those games.

Second baseman Tori Gross led the Tigers in hitting last week, going 9-for-12 (.750) with two doubles, four runs scored and four RBI in three games. The senior collected three hits in all three games. Gross had a .917 slugging percentage and a .750 on-base percentage in the three games. She leads the team with a .375 batting average and 13 runs scored.

Sophomore pitchers Janelle Valle and Kimber Bossom had effective outings against Arkansas-Pine Bluff last week. Valle (3-4) threw a two-hitter in a 3-1 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. She struck out a career high eight batters and did not allow an earned run. The sophomore leads the team in strikeouts with 29 and has not allowed a home run in 41.2 innings of work. Bossom (3-1) threw a one-hitter in a 15-2 victory and had six strikeouts.

Both games of the doubleheader can be followed through live stats provided by CBS College Sports GameTracker. Live streaming video and audio is also available to Memphis All-Access subscribers. Links to the live broadcasts can be found at GoTigersGo.com.