Softball Returns To Action With Tiger Classic This Weekend

Saturday, March 17

Memphis, Tenn.

10:15 AM

University of Memphis

Tennessee Tech

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Softball Returns To Action With Tiger Classic This Weekend

Mar 15, 2018 | Softball

2018 Tiger Classic

Memphis will play five games in final regular season tournament

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis softball team welcomes five teams to Memphis this weekend for the Tiger Classic. The Tigers will begin play against Tennessee Tech at 11:15 a.m. Friday morning and will ultimately compete in five games this weekend. Memphis enters the weekend with a 16-6 overall record.

Memphis' Tournament Schedule
Mar. 16 – vs. Tennessee Tech – 11:15 a.m.
Mar. 16 – vs. Southeast Missouri – 1:30 p.m.
Mar. 17 – vs. Tennessee Tech – 11:15 a.m.
Mar. 17 – vs. South Dakota – 1:30 p.m.
Mar. 18 – vs. SIU Edwardsville – 1:30 p.m.

Quick Hitters

Memphis looks to bounce back from Wednesday's setback to No. 20 Mississippi State. Coming into the midweek, the Tigers were winners of their previous nine games.
Baylee Smith was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week Tuesday afternoon and backed that honor up with her first collegiate home run in the bottom of the first against the Bulldogs. Smith leads Memphis with a .509 batting average, which ranks in the top 10 nationally.
Kyler Trosclair Klatt had a solid night at the plate against Mississippi State. She finished with a 2-for-4 effort for her eighth multi-hit game in the last nine contests.
Mariah Nichols pitched 2.2 innings of shutout softball against the Bulldogs. She and senior pitcher Molly Smith each carry just a 1.04 ERA.
This is the final regular season tournament of the year. Memphis will begin conference play next weekend.
Memphis is 7-4 all-time against the competition this weekend. It will be the first-ever meeting against SIU Edwardsville.

About the Competition

Tennessee Tech, who enters the weekend at 8-13, has seven hitters with at least 10 hits, led by Bayli Cruse's 23.
Raegan Sparks leads the team with a .400 batting average while contributing a team-high six home runs.
Southeast Missouri State visits Memphis with an 11-9 record. Seven of their wins this season have been at neutral sites, compiling a 7-3 neutral record.
Eight Redhawks have hit home runs this season, including three moon shots apiece from Abby Tillotson, Ashley Ellis, and Sarah Messex.
The 14-9 South Dakota State Coyotes' Abbey Murphy leads the team with 36 hits. Julia Andersen sits close behind with 32 hits.
As a team, the Coyotes have combined to hit 48 doubles this season, led by Julia Andersen's 11.
The SIUE pitching corps has led the team to an 8-5 record, allowing opposing hitters to hit just .218 on the year.
The Cougars' leading two hitters are Bailley Concatto and Zoe Schafer, who pace the team with .441 and .400 batting averages, respectively.
Though Memphis does not play Eastern Michigan this weekend, the 4-15 Eagles will participate in the Tiger Classic.
The Eagles are led at the plate by Amanda Akles' 26 hits, seven of those being doubles and two being home runs.

Final Details
Memphis will begin the Tiger Classic at 11:15 a.m. Friday morning against Tennessee Tech. The Tigers will compete five times this weekend. Click here for the complete tournament schedule with live stats and a live stream for the Memphis-only games.

Tiger fans can also follow the team's live scoring through the Official Memphis Tigers app by Sidearm, available in both Apple and Android app stores. For more information on the University of Memphis softball team, follow the Tigers on Facebook and Twitter at @MemphisSoftball.