May 5, 2005

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Perhaps the strongest team on the Tigers' schedule this season, Tulane currently holds the No. 1 ranking in three of the four weekly polls. At 38-8, the Green Wave leads the country in winning percentage and sits atop the C-USA standings. Tulane has won more games than any Memphis opponent this season. Tulane, who was a unanimous pick to win the league, currently leads Conference USA with a 16-5 league mark. They have won five straight conference series and six of the seven league weekend sets. Their only conference series loss came against Louisville in late March.

Tulane opened the season with an eight game winning streak and then proceeded to win 14 of the first 15 contests. Winners of eight of the last 10 games, the Green Wave have been successful in a tough schedule. They hold an 11-3 record against ranked opponents.

The Green Wave is unbeatable when they score 10 or more runs in game or when they lead a game after six or eight innings of play. Tulane is a perfect 12-0 when scoring 10 runs, 30-0 when leading after six innings and 34-0 when ahead after eight. They are 17-2 when they score in the first inning and 22-2 when they score first.

Tulane at Turchin

The Green Wave has been close to unbeatable at home this year, holding a 25-3 record at Turchin Stadium. Tulane's three losses have come against No. 3 Cal State Fullerton and one league loss to Houston. Senior Tommy Manzella leads a talented bunch that has combined to hit .309 for the season. Manzella's .358 average ranks ninth among all Conference USA players. The Wave players, Micah Owings (1st), Manzella (6th) and freshman Brad Emaus (7th) rank in the top-10 in slugging, while Scott Madden's .460 on base percentage paces the league's top team. Manzella is second and third in the league with 69 hits and 45 RBI, respectively. The senior is also second with 20 doubles and 114 total bases. Georgia Tech transfer, Owings leads the league with 13 home runs. Tulane is ranked 30th nationally in team scoring at 7.9 runs per outing, 17th in home runs per game and slugging and 19th in doubles. On the hill, two-way star and All-American Brian Bogusevic, who is 8-1 on the year, leads the league's top pitching staff with a 2.57 ERA (4th in C-USA) in a league-high 84.0 innings pitched. The southpaw has held the opposition to a .230 clip at the plate with 85. Owings also holds a 3.84 ERA. Tulane paces the league with a team ERA of 3.69. The staff has held opponents to a league-best .250 average. Opposing teams have scored three runs or less 23 times this year. Led by Daniel Latham's seven saves, the Wave bullpen leads Conference USA with 15 saves on the year.

Tulane leads the league and ranks eighth in the country in fielding at a .976 clip

About Memphis

Memphis is just 10-33 on the year after dropping three straight to Saint Louis, who was picked to finish 12th in the league. At 4-17, the Tigers have dropped a school-record seven consecutive league series.

The Tigers' 33 losses are the most since a 21-33 campaign in 2003 and just four losses away from the program-high 37 losses suffered in 2000.

Memphis led by Ryan Martin. The senior DH/leftfielder leads the Tigers in nearly every offensive category. Martin is hitting .340 with a .574 slugging percentage that is ranked 10th in C-USA. He has posted career highs in hits, doubles and homers. His 44 RBI ranks 10 in the league, while his career-high eight round-trippers pace the squad. Freshman K.K. Chalmers leads the league with nine stolen bases in league games. His 13 stolen bases overall ranks fourth in Conference USA.

The U of M hits just .264 as a team. Senior Chad House joins Martin as the lone Tiger with averages over .300. After hitting safely in each of the first 12 games, junior Patrick Hope has dipped under .300 at .287.

Tiger starters have struggled on the mound, but the bullpen has been solid. Each of the three primary relievers--Chris South, Drew Jaudon and Tim Senter--have ERA's under 5.00. South leads the team with a 3.86 ERA in a staff-best 19 appearances and 21.0 innings. As a whole, the Memphis staff has a 6.97 ERA, which is currently 11th in the conference. Opponents are hitting a league-high .334 against the Tiger staff. U of M pitchers have allowed 58 home runs this year. That total ranks third all-time. Stephen Gostkowski leads the team with 36 strikeouts in 63 innings of work.

The Series

Memphis trails the all-time series with Tulane 26-30. The series dates back to the 1976 season when Memphis handed Tulane a 15-1 defeat to claim the Metro Tournament title.

However, it has been the Green Wave's series in recent years. Tulane has won ever season series since the 1997 season and has swept Memphis in four of the last six years (1999, 2000, 2001 and 2003). The last year Memphis won a series from Tulane was in 1996 when the Tigers claimed a two-game to one win.

Last season saw a battle between the two squads at Nat Buring Stadium. Tulane grabbed a 5-2 win in the series opener. Jarrett Grube and J.R. Crowel battled, but Crowel's complete-game effort helped the Green Wave to victory.

Derek Hankins outdueled Brian Bogusevic in game one of Sunday's doubleheader. Hank fanned seven in a seven-inning complete game shutout.

The Green Wave took the series in the nightcap. The extra-inning battle saw Scott Madden drive in two runs with a single in the eighth to power Tulane to a 6-4 win.