Tulane to visit Memphis in C-USA series

• Advocate news services
• Published: Apr 25, 2008 - UPDATED: 6:36 a.m.

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NEW ORLEANS — Tulane will look to improve on a 6-5-1 Conference USA baseball record over the weekend when the Green Wave travel to take Memphis in a three-game series beginning at 6:30 p.m. today at Nat Buring Stadium.

“We’re in third place in the league and we have to keep playing well,” Tulane coach Rick Jones said. “We understand that we need to have a great weekend. We’re in third place, and if we play well (down the stretch) we have a chance to be a viable postseason team.”

Tulane (27-13-1) looks to bounce back from an 8-4 loss to LSU on Tuesday.

As a team, the Green Wave is hitting .291 with a .452 slugging percentage on the strength of 77 doubles, 17 triples and 38 home runs.

Junior middle infielder Seth Henry and freshman utility athlete Rob Segedin are tied for the team lead in batting average with .336 marks, and junior catcher Jared Dyer is next at .323. Junior designated hitter Andrew Rodgers leads the team with eight home runs, while Segedin has a team-best 41 RBIs.

Tulane pitching staff has a 3.74 ERA and has held opponents to a .235 batting average. Green Wave pitchers have combined for 334 strikeouts and 176 walks in 368.1 innings. Junior right-hander Shooter Hunt leads the team with six wins, 78 strikeouts and a 1.59 ERA.

Memphis (16-25, 4-8) is hitting .252 with a .339 slugging percentage after belting 64 doubles, five triples and 17 home runs. Chad Zurcher leads Memphis with a .289 batting average.

Memphis has a 5.35 team ERA and foes are hitting at a .297 clip.

HAMMOND — After picking up a pair of 14-4 wins over Alcorn State on Tuesday and UL-Lafayette on Wednesday to start its six-game homestand, the Southeastern Louisiana University (22-18, 9-9 Southland Conference) returns to Southland Conference action this weekend to host SLC East Division rival Central Arkansas (18-22, 6-12).

“Starting off this homestand with big wins over Alcorn and UL-Lafayette was really important to get our kids some confidence. Our offense has been swinging the bats very aggressively the last few days,” Southeastern coach Jay Artigues said.

“Central Arkansas is a team that is going to try to outscore you. They come in and they swing the bats really well and try to put the pressure on you. So, we’re hoping our pitching can neutralize that.”

The Lions will send senior left-hander Brent Varnado (0-2, 4.57 ERA) to the mound looking for their fourth straight win in the opener.