The University of Memphis will open its 2011 baseball season today when it hosts Evansville in the first of a three-game series starting at 4 p.m. Head coach Daron Schoenrock's returns six starters, including 2011 All-Conference USA preseason picks Chad Zurcher and Drew Martinez, from a team that finished third place in C-USA last season.
"The idea is to get off to a good start," Schoenrock said. "Based off how we finished last season, I think we can continue that momentum to begin the season. We have a lot of home games early, and I think that will help us get rolling."
Martinez, who hit .377 last season, was drafted by the New York Mets in the 23rd round of the 2010 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. He ranked 29th nationally with 98 hits in 2010. Zurcher led the team with a .400 batting average.
"I think we're real excited about getting going today," Martinez said. "Our offense this year is very explosive and my role is to get us started, and I'm looking forward to getting a hit every time at bat."
Martinez and Zurcher will have a strong supporting cast in senior catcher Phillip Chapman, senior Rick Russell, and juniors Adam McClain and Jacon Wilson. Chapman and Russell batted .315 and .320 respectively in 2010 and combined for nine home runs. Wilson returns as one of the club's top run producers after banging out a team-high 19 doubles and 41 RBI. McClain hit .296 with 33 RBI and 10 doubles.
"There will be some comfort in how we want to play offensively," Schoenrock said. "These guys have been around and have had a number of bats so there won't be any unfamiliarity."
There will also be a few new bats in the lineup. T.J. Rich, a junior college transfer from Georgia, will be taking over for the departed Trey Wiedman, and Eli Hynes, a transfer from Sacramento Community College, will take an outfield spot left by Tyler Huelsing. Despite losing their top two weekend pitchers from last year, the Tigers return a core group of seven pitchers who have amassed 324 strikeouts. The current crew has made 160 appearances and 44 starts collectively.
Sophomore Dan Langfield will get the start on the mound for the Tigers today against Evansville. Langfield was solid in his freshman season and had a 4-4 record with a 4.62 ERA and 47 strikeouts in just 39 innings. The right-hander averaged a team-best 10.85 strikeouts per nine innings.
"Dan's a competitor," Zurcher said. "Coach knows he's going to give us his best when he takes the mound, and he also knows that he has the most explosive stuff on the team. So that's why he's out there."
"The idea is to get off to a good start," Schoenrock said. "Based off how we finished last season, I think we can continue that momentum to begin the season. We have a lot of home games early, and I think that will help us get rolling."
Martinez, who hit .377 last season, was drafted by the New York Mets in the 23rd round of the 2010 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. He ranked 29th nationally with 98 hits in 2010. Zurcher led the team with a .400 batting average.
"I think we're real excited about getting going today," Martinez said. "Our offense this year is very explosive and my role is to get us started, and I'm looking forward to getting a hit every time at bat."
Martinez and Zurcher will have a strong supporting cast in senior catcher Phillip Chapman, senior Rick Russell, and juniors Adam McClain and Jacon Wilson. Chapman and Russell batted .315 and .320 respectively in 2010 and combined for nine home runs. Wilson returns as one of the club's top run producers after banging out a team-high 19 doubles and 41 RBI. McClain hit .296 with 33 RBI and 10 doubles.
"There will be some comfort in how we want to play offensively," Schoenrock said. "These guys have been around and have had a number of bats so there won't be any unfamiliarity."
There will also be a few new bats in the lineup. T.J. Rich, a junior college transfer from Georgia, will be taking over for the departed Trey Wiedman, and Eli Hynes, a transfer from Sacramento Community College, will take an outfield spot left by Tyler Huelsing. Despite losing their top two weekend pitchers from last year, the Tigers return a core group of seven pitchers who have amassed 324 strikeouts. The current crew has made 160 appearances and 44 starts collectively.
Sophomore Dan Langfield will get the start on the mound for the Tigers today against Evansville. Langfield was solid in his freshman season and had a 4-4 record with a 4.62 ERA and 47 strikeouts in just 39 innings. The right-hander averaged a team-best 10.85 strikeouts per nine innings.
"Dan's a competitor," Zurcher said. "Coach knows he's going to give us his best when he takes the mound, and he also knows that he has the most explosive stuff on the team. So that's why he's out there."
No comments:
Post a Comment