Tigers Ready to Bounce Back Against Southern Illinois

Friday, March 10

Memphis, Tenn.

4:00 PM

University of Memphis

Southern Illinois

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Tigers Ready to Bounce Back Against Southern Illinois

Mar 09, 2017 | Baseball

Game Notes vs. SIU

Memphis and SIU to play weekend series at FedExPark

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Memphis is ready for a bounce back against Southern Illinois after dropping two straight games for the first time this season. The Tigers will also look for revenge against SIU after losing a three-game series in Carbondale, Ill. last season.

The weekend schedule has been altered because of the weather forecast. Memphis and SIU will start the series Friday at 4 p.m. at FedExPark and continue it Saturday at noon. The finale is scheduled for Sunday at 1 pm.

GAME INFORMATION:
Memphis (7-5) vs. Southern Illinois (7-5)
Date: March 10-12, 2017
Location: Memphis, Tenn.
Venue: FedExPark
Twitter Updates: @MemphisBaseball

Friday, March 10 | 4 p.m. CT
Audio: WUMR 91.7 FM
Video: MemphisTigerNetwork
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
MEM: So. RHP Alex Hicks (2-0, 1.84 ERA)
SIU: Sr. RHP Chad Whitmer (1-0, 1.96 ERA)

Saturday, March 11 | 12 p.m. CT
Audio: WUMR 91.7 FM
Video: MemphisTigerNetwork
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
MEM: Jr. LHP Drew Crosby (2-0, 4.61 ERA)
SIU: Jr. RHP Michael Baird (3-0, 0.00 ERA)

Sunday, March 12 | 1 p.m. CT
Audio: WUMR 91.7 FM
Video: MemphisTigerNetwork
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
MEM: Jr. RHP Connor Alexander (2-1, 6.43 ERA)
SIU: Sr. LHP Joey Marciano (1-0, 2.70 ERA)

Leading Off
• Memphis and Southern Illinois each have a 7-5 record coming into the weekend and the Tigers will be looking to avenge a series loss to the Salukis from last season. Memphis leads the all-time series 6-4 dating back to 1982.
• The Tigers have lost back-to-back games for the first time this season, dropping both games of a midweek series with Middle Tennessee. Memphis previously had a five-game winning streak snapped last weekend, which was the longest since March of 2015.
• Memphis avenged last season's series loss to Georgia Southern by winning two-of-three games at FedExPark March 3-5. Tigers pitching held the Eagles in check Friday for a 5-2 win and on Sunday the bats came alive to score nine in the first inning and Memphis held on for a 9-8 win.
• Memphis swept Illinois State in a three-game series Feb. 24-26, marking the Tigers first sweep since the second weekend of last season against SIU Edwardsville.
• As part of the sweep of the Redbirds, Memphis rallied from an 11-0 deficit to win 12-11 in extra innings during the second game of the series on Feb. 25. The comeback win is the largest in the Daron Schoenrock era of Memphis baseball.
• After recording three saves in a four-game stretch, Colton Hathcock became the third straight Memphis pitcher to be named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll. He enters the week tied for the national lead with five saves.
• Junior right-handed pitcher Connor Alexander had a bounce-back performance against Illinois State, pitching seven shutout innings with nine strikeouts to earn the Feb. 27 American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll recognition.
• Left-hander Drew Crosby received the league's weekly recognition on Feb. 20 after a six-inning start and win against Tennessee on opening weekend. Crosby struck out six batters and allowed just one run.
• Memphis had a record-setting opening weekend against Tennessee at FedExPark. The two teams squared off Sunday Feb. 19 in front of the largest crowd in FedExPark history of 2,188. The three-game series set another facility record, attracting 4,793 fans throughout the weekend.
• Memphis plays 15 of its first 16 games at home and the Tigers will play five-of-six weekends at home in non-conference play. In all Memphis will play 35 home games, including two at AutoZone Park.
• More than 70-percent of the Tigers' innings pitched last season were by freshmen and sophomores and all 10 of those players return this season. This year's pitching staff is rounded out by the addition of four incoming freshmen pitchers and two junior college transfers.