Tigers travel to No. 2 Arkansas, host Murray State

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Memphis Tigers wrap up non-conference play this week with five games across two states. The Tigers will head to Fayetteville and face No. 2 Arkansas Tuesday and Wednesday before they return home for a weekend series vs. Murray State.

Series Information
Memphis (9-8) at Arkansas (14-3)
Tuesday, March 23 – 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 24 – 3 p.m.
Location: Fayetteville, Ark.
Venue: Baum-Walker Stadium
Twitter Updates: @MemphisBaseball
Stats | Listen

Series Information
Memphis (9-8) vs. Murray State (10-9)
Friday, March 26 – 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 27 – 2 p.m.
Sunday, March 28 – 1 p.m.
Location: Memphis, Tenn.
Venue: FedExPark
Twitter Updates: @MemphisBaseball
Stats | Listen

The Tigers will face their third different top-five SEC opponent of the season with a pair of games against the Razorbacks. Memphis previously lost at then No 4. Ole Miss March 2, and then No. 2 Vanderbilt March 9. Vanderbilt enters this week as the No. 1 team in the country, while Ole Miss is ranked as high as No. 3. The Razorbacks were the No. 1 team in the nation last week but fell at home to Oklahoma on Tuesday and dropped one of three to No. 22 Alabama this past weekend.

Memphis has dropped six straight to the Razorbacks and is just 3-16-1 against Arkansas dating back to 1978. Memphis' last victory over Arkansas came at a neutral site in North Little Rock on March 24, 2015. The Tigers have been outscored 28-10 in the past three meetings in Fayetteville.

While the Tigers won't see Arkansas' weekend rotation, they will face an offense that is averaging more than 6.5 runs per game. The Razorbacks' offense is balanced with seven everyday starters hitting at least .261. Casey Opitz leads the team with a .364 average in 16 games, while Brady Slavens has started every game, hit .317, and leads the team with six home runs.

After the quick two-game series vs. Arkansas, the Tigers will return to FedExPark and wrap up non-conference play with a three-game series vs. Murray State, who got swept at then No. 1 Arkansas in early March. The Racers also play on Tuesday, as they visit Arkansas State before their trip to Memphis.

The Tigers are 42-24 against Murray State dating back to 1978. Memphis had won five straight and eight of nine in the all-time series until the Racers came away with a 10-6 win at FedExPark on Feb. 20, 2019, the last time the teams met. This weekend will be the first series between the two programs at FedExPark in more than 20 years, as the only other meetings have been series at the home of the Racers and single games at both programs' home parks.

Murray State is 0-4 against ranked opponents this year (Arkansas & Louisville) but 10-5 against non-ranked opposition. The Racers' offense is paced by the combination of Jordan Cozart (.301/6/21) and Brock Anderson (.295/8/20). Anderson's eight home runs are tied for third most in the country, while the duo has accounted for 50% of Murray State's home runs this season.

On the mound, freshman Jack Wenninger has been the Racers' best weekend arm. Through four starts, Wenninger is 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA. The freshman only has 14 strikeouts compared to eight walks in 19.1 innings, but has only allowed 14 hits, good for a .203 OBA, best among qualified pitchers on the team. Shane Burns (1-1, 4.44) is also likely to pitch against the Tigers. Burns has spun at least seven innings and allowed just two runs in each of his last two starts.

University of Memphis Athletics

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