Tigers Look to Bounce Back vs. No. 30 USF

Friday, April 21

Memphis, Tenn.

6:30 PM

University of Memphis

USF

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Apr 20, 2017 | Baseball

Game Notes vs. USF

Memphis to play third straight series against a ranked team

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Memphis is looking to get back on track as the No. 30 USF Bulls come to FedExPark for a three-game series. The Tigers have lost eight of their last nine games, while the Bulls have just seven losses all season.

This weekend at FedExPark will be filled with excitement, as fans will receive rally towels before the games on Friday and Sunday. All fans in attendance to Saturday's game will be treated to free Turner Dairy Ice Cream courtesy of Prairie Farms.

Also on Saturday is the Tiger Scholarship Fund Donor Day and all TSF Donors receive free admission to the game.

SERIES INFORMATION:
Memphis (21-17, 3-6 AAC) vs. USF (30-7, 5-4 AAC)
Date: April 21-23, 2017
Location: Memphis, Tenn.
Venue: FedExPark
Twitter Updates: @MemphisBaseball

Friday, April 21 | 6:30 p.m.
Audio: WUMR 91.7 FM
Video: Memphis TigerNetwork
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
MEM: Jr. LHP Drew Crosby (4-0, 3.69 ERA)
USF: Sr. RHP Phoenix Sanders (5-1, 2.41 ERA)

Saturday, April 22 | 2 p.m.
Audio: WUMR 91.7 FM
Video: Memphis TigerNetwork
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
MEM: Jr. RHP Connor Alexander (5-2, 3.69 ERA)
USF: Fr. LHP Shane McClanahan (4-1, 2.82 ERA)

Sunday, April 23 | 12 p.m.
Audio: WUMR 91.7 FM
Video: Memphis TigerNetwork
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
MEM: TBA
USF: Jr. RHP Peter Strzelecki (1-1, 2.20 ERA)

Leading Off
• Memphis continues a brutal stretch of eight straight games against nationally ranked opponents, hosting No. 30 USF for at three-game series at FedExPark. The Tigers have managed just a 1-8 record over the last nine grueling games.
• Memphis has had USF's number over the last three seasons, posting a combined 8-5 record with series wins in both 2015 and 2016. The Tigers have also been the team to eliminate the Bulls from the American Athletic Conference tournament in each of the last three seasons.
• The Tigers won their 20th game on April 5 against Alcorn State, marking significant improvement from last season. Memphis ended the 2016 regular season with 19 wins and picked up the 20th on May 26 in the American Athletic Conference tournament.
• The series win at Cincinnati was the first for Memphis over the Bearcats since 2004 and the first for head coach Daron Schoenrock. The Bearcats won the series over Schoenrock's Tigers in 2005 before joining the Big East Conference. The teams reunited in the American Athletic Conference in 2014. The Tigers and Bearcats played two series in 2015 and 2016 and the teams will meet again in May.
• The Tigers finished off the season sweep of nationally-ranked Ole Miss with a 2-1 walk-off win at AutoZone Park March 21. The sweep of the Rebels is the first since 2013. With a 3-3 record so far against teams from the SEC, Memphis sits at 17-17 over the last five seasons versus the nation's toughest conference. The Tigers are still scheduled to play two games against Arkansas in April.
• As part of the Tigers Feb. 24-26 sweep of Illinois State, Memphis rallied from an 11-0 deficit to win 12-11 in extra innings during the second game of the series. The comeback win is the largest in the Daron Schoenrock era of Memphis baseball.
• Senior outfielder Chris Carrier was named the American Athletic Conference Hitter of the Week April 3 after slugging two doubles and three homers in four games during the week. The conference weekly recognition is the third of his career.
• Memphis had a junior pitcher named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll after the first four weeks of the season. RHP Connor Alexander twice received the recognition after starts against Illinois State and Southern Illinois. RHP Colton Hathcock was honored after recording three saves in a four game stretch and LHP Drew Crosby was recognized after his opening weekend start against Tennessee. Jonathan Bowlan and Andy Bowman were then both named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll March 27.
• 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 started the season with 15 of its first 16 games at home and the Tigers played five-of-six weekends at home in non-conference play. The start to league play wasn't as friendly, with trips to Cincinnati and UConn right out of the gate. In all Memphis will play 35 home games, including the 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.