March 24, 2008

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Memphis baseball team will put its five-game win streak on the line twice this week. The Tigers will takes on Austin Peay at Pringles Park in Jackson, Tenn., on Tues., Mar. 25, before returning home to host Arkansas State on Wed., Mar. 26. Both games are scheduled for a 6:35 p.m. first pitch.

The Tigers completed their first-ever C-USA opening sweep with a four-run rally in the ninth inning to defeat UAB 7-6 on Sunday. The five-game swing has improved Memphis to 11-10 on the year.

Memphis' pitching has carried the bulk of the workload, logging a 4.27 ERA and striking out 176 hitters. Opponents hit just .263 against the staff that is led by juniors Scott McGregor and Matt Yokley. McGregor (1-2), leads the staff in strikeouts (28) and innings pitched (33.1), earned his first win on Friday night against UAB. Yokley, the program's all-time saves leader, has a 1.64 ERA with three saves and 18 strikeouts in 11 innings. Yokley holds opposing hitters to a mere .125 batting average. Tuesday's starter Brach Davis is 2-0 and has won each of his only two starts of the year. Davis has logged a 3.12 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 17.1 innings. Southpaws Neil Schenk and Marcus Barnes have been key ingredients out of the bullpen combining for 38 strikeouts in 29.2 innings of middle relief.

The Tigers' bats have struggled to a .254 average, but have recently gotten timely hitting. Memphis scored all of its runs in six of the 27 innings played over the weekend. Trey Wiedman hits a team-high .361. He leads the way with 26 hits, 17 RBI, 16 runs scored, five homers. He is the lone Tiger starter hitting .300 or better.

Austin Peay comes into Tuesday's tilt with an even 9-9 mark, after dropping two of three against Eastern Kentucky over the weekend. The speedy Rafael Hill has been the catalyst for the Govs offense in the early season. The senior outfielder leads the team in hitting (.371), runs scored (17), hits (26) and triples (2). Matt Kole ranks second on the team with a .361 average. Kole is the team's leader with 13 RBI. Josh Kemph's .306 average rounds out the Governors hitters batting over .300. Kemph is perfect in six stolen base attempts.

The Govs pitching corps maintain a 5.48 ERA, while opponents hit .290 against them. Jake Brisbin will toe the rubber on Tuesday. The righty is 1-0 with a 3.29 ERA in two starts. He has fanned seven and walked seven in 13.2 innings. Stephen Huff is the APSU ace. He leads the staff with 30 strikeouts in 34 innings.

The Tigers hold a 27-19 all-time advantage over the Govs. Memphis swept the regular season series a year ago, but lost the one that counted the most, as Austin Peay eliminated the U of M from competition via an 18-7 decision in the 2007 NCAA Nashville Regional.

At 12-10, Arkansas State comes into the midweek having lost two of its three Sun Belt games to Louisiana-Monroe last weekend. Memphis blanked ASU 3-0 on March 11 in Jonesboro, Ark. The Tigers hold a 108-52-2 record in the all-time series versus A-State. The 108 wins over the Indians is a program-high for Memphis.