University of Memphis Athletics
Baseball Travels To Missouri For Non-Conference Series
May 10, 2012 | Baseball
May 10, 2012
|
23-25 |
Memphis at Missouri |
26-22 |
Friday 6:00 p.m.  |
Saturday 2:00 p.m. |
Sunday 1:00 p.m. |
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| MEMPHIS PROBABLE STARTERS | ||||
| RHP Dan Langfield 6-6, 2.75 ERA |
RHP Chase Joiner 3-4, 4.19 ERA |
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| MISSOURI PROBABLE STARTERS | ||||
| LHP Rob Zastryzny 4-3, 3.81 ERA |
LHP Blake Holovach 5-4, 4.52 ERA |
RHP Brett Graves 4-5, 5.88 ERA |
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COLUMBIA, Mo. - Memphis (23-25) travels to Columbia, Mo., to face Missouri (26-22) this weekend in a three-game non-conference series. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Live Coverage
Live stats are available on GoTigersGo.com. You can also listen to the game on WUMR 91.7 FM. Follow Tiger Baseball on Twitter (@UofMBaseball) for in-game updates.
May Baseball
The Tigers carry a 192-190 record in games played in May since the 1977 season. Memphis has had one season above .500 under Coach Schoenrock, a 9-7 record in 2006. Including postseason tournaments, the Tigers have been .500 or better in three of Schoenrock’s seven previous seasons. Memphis is 40-60 under Schoenrock in May.
Behind The “Eight” Ball
A 7.71 ERA haunts the Tigers in the eighth inning as the club has allowed 43 runs, 40 earned, on 65 hits. Opponents have 20 extra-base hits including 15 doubles in the eighth inning. On the season, Memphis has been outscored 43-31 in the eighth and in C-USA play, Memphis holds a 21-19 edge. Opponents have five big innings (scoring three or more runs) in the eighth against Memphis. In the last 20 games, Memphis has outscored the opposition 20-6 in the eighth.
Quality Starting Pitching
Memphis has 31 quality starts from its pitching staff in 48 games, 14 more than the staff posted all of last season. The Tigers have a 18-13 record in the 31 quality starts. In C-USA play, Langfield, Moll and Joiner have a combined 3.10 ERA with 112 strikeouts in 142.1 innings. Moll has a 1.89 ERA in league games and he has allowed 11 earned runs in 52.1 innings of league play.
The Series With Missouri
Memphis and Missouri meet for the first time since 2007 this weekend and Missouri holds a narrow 6-5 edge in the series. Memphis will visit Missouri for the first time in the series this weekend as the two teams have previously met in the Bluff City. Memphis hosted tournaments that Missouri participated in 2004, 205 and 2007 and all other meetings were at Nat Buring Stadium (now FedExPark).
The Inside Edge - Missouri
Missouri carries a 26-22 record into the weekend series. The Tigers have won three in a row including a series win over Texas last weekend. Mizzou carries a .270 average with 25 HR and 237 RBI. Scott Sommerfield paces the everyday players with a .307 average. Dane Opel has 10 HR and 35 RBI while Blake Brown has added 8 HR and 33 RBI. On the mound, Missouri has a 4.20 ERA in 422.1 innings pitched with 287 strikeouts.
Double Trouble
The Tigers have recorded 84 doubles this season, but after averaging over two doubles per game the first 32 games this year, the squad has 14 in the last 16 games. Eli Hynes leads the club with 13 doubles and Adam McClain and Derrick Thomas each have 11. Memphis has recorded two or more doubles in 25 of 48 games, including the first 10 in a row.
Good Start, But What About Finish?
Last season, the Tigers pounced on opponents early, outscoring its opponents 156-81 in the first three innings. In the sixth through the final out, Memphis was outscored 156-115. So far in 2012, Memphis is outscoring opponents 86-71 in the first three and the Tigers have outscored opponents 109-106 after the fifth.
Top-10 Chase
Jacob Wilson and Adam McClain are in pursuit of top-10 positions in the record books for career numbers. McClain (248-4th) and Wilson (241-5th) are neck-and-neck as they ascend up the career hits list. Wilson has 57 career doubles which is third all-time. The two seniors are also climbing the charts in games played as Wilson (214-3rd) and McClain (210-4th) have eclipsed the top-five this season. Wilson recorded his 175th career RBI on May 6 to move to second place all time in career RBI. Wilson needs to score four more runs to tie Tim Dulin for second all-time in runs scored. Dan Langfield became the seventh pitcher with 200 career strikeouts and Langfield needs 38 punch outs to pass Lonnie Glass for second all-time.
Take Them How You Can Get Them
Memphis has scored 256 runs this season and the Tigers have produced those runs in 18 different ways. Singles (74), home runs (66) and doubles (42) account for most of the run producers this season. Sacrifice flies (16), fielding errors (10), triples (8), passed balls (8), throwing errors (8), groundouts (5), fielder’s choice (4), infield single (4), safety squeeze (3), bases loaded walk (3), double plays (3), wild pitches (3), hit batter (2), catcher’s interference (1) and balk (1) are the additional ways Memphis has put runs on the board.
Three’s Company
Jacob Wilson hit a walk-off single with two outs in the ninth inning to give Memphis a 3-2 win over Austin Peay on March 13. The win was Memphis’ 15th when scoring three or fewer runs and first since March 26, 2011. Since 2006, Memphis is 18-106 in games where they score three runs or less. Last season, the Tigers were 1-15 with three or fewer runs scored. This season, Memphis is 2-15 when scoring three or fewer runs.
Looking For Production
Memphis is hitting .281 on the season, but a .213 average from the 8-9 spots in the order appears to be hampering the offense. The last two spots in the lineup have 68 hits and 43 runs scored, while the five hole in the lineup has 58 hits and 28 runs alone. In the three game set at No. 7 UCF, the 8-9 spots had seven hits and three runs scored to help Memphis to the series win.
Put It On The Board
Jacob Wilson has six homers in his last 10 games, more than eight NCAA Division I clubs have on the season. Wilson’s 15 homers on the year are more than 74 clubs across the nation. With his 15 homers, Wilson is the first Tiger with 15 or more homers in a season since Dan Uggla hit 18 in 2001. Wilson has 29 career home runs, to rank third all-time in program history.
Off The Beaten Path
Memphis carries a 19-9 record when holding a plus margin when combining walks, hit batters and opponent errors. When Memphis combines for more walks issued, batters hit and errors committed, the Tigers are 4-16 on the season. For example, Memphis walked eight times and Tulane committed one error while the Tigers issued six walks giving the U of M a plus-three margin in the 10-0 win on March 30.
Quick Starters
The Tigers have pounced on opponents early as the U of M has outscored the opposition 32-14 in the first inning this season. Memphis has scored in the first inning 15 out of 48 games and carries a 10-5 record in those games. The Tigers ended an 11-game drought without scoring in the first with the help of a two-run homer by Jacob Wilson at Murray State on April 18.
No Need For Bullpen Today
Memphis starting pitching has combined to record five complete-game efforts this season. The five complete games are the most since the 1999 club posted six. This year’s pitching staff has the most complete-game shutouts since the 1999 season when Craig House and Josh Padgett each had complete-game gems.
Out of the Pen
Jonathan Van Eaton has nine-straight outings without allowing a run (11.2 innings). Van Eaton has four saves in that span, two wins and he’s allowed just six hits and struck out nine. In the last 10 games, the Tiger bullpen has a respectable 1.86 ERA with Van Eaton, Patrick Bailey and Dylan Toscano allowing just two earned runs in that span. Van Eaton’s six saves this season have him three saves away from the single-season record set by Matt Yokley in 2007.
Cardiac Kids
The Tigers played several nail bitters last season and in games decided by two runs or less, Memphis finished 9-14, 7-6 in league play. The Tigers had five come-from-behind wins and nine one run losses. The Tigers are 6-12, 3-5 in league play, in games decided by two runs or less this season. The Tigers are 48-48 all time in C-USA games decided by one run. In C-USA games decided by two or fewer runs, the Tigers sport a 73-80 record.
Strikeouts Adding Up For Langfield
Dan Langfield has ascended up the record books for career strikeouts he enters the weekend with 240 career strikeouts, third all-time. In just three seasons, Langfield has soared up the record books and if he continues his pace this season, he could finish in the top five for strikeouts in a season. Leading C-USA with 99 punch outs this season, Langfield is on pace for 112 strikeouts this season, which would put him fourth for single-season strikeouts.
Two-Out Hits
Memphis is hitting .247 (123-498) with two outs this season compared to .293 (153-522) at this point last season. The Tigers had 119 two out RBI and 319 runs scored through 48 games last year, but the U of M has mustered 78 two-out RBI so far this year with 263 runs scored.
Bounce Back
Memphis is 97-143 under head coach Daron Schoenrock following a loss. After a 9-32 record in the 2005 season following a loss, the Tigers are 88-111 since. In the last three seasons, the U of M is 43-36 following a loss. This season, the Tigers are 13-11 following a loss.
Young Lineup
Head Coach Daron Schoenrock has penned a lineup 48 times this season and each game has seen five or more underclassmen making starts. Memphis has had six underclassmen in the lineup in nine games and five underclassmen in 39 games.
Friday Night Lights
Memphis has struggled this season under the Friday night lights as the Tigers are 3-8 on Friday’s. Memphis is hitting .257 compared to .288 in the other 37 games. The Tigers average 4.27 runs per game on Friday and 5.89 in other games. On the mound, the Tigers have a 2.69 ERA on Friday, but a 4.37 ERA in other games.
Road Trippin’
Since the 2005 season, the Tigers are 64-98 in road games. The last time Memphis had a winning record on the road came back in the 2006 season when the Tigers were 13-11.
Up Next
The Tigers play the final home game of the season as UT Martin visits FedExPark for a 6:30 p.m. matchup on Tuesday, May 16.
