May 26, 2007

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GREENVILLE, N.C. - Memphis used back-to-back solo home runs in the top of the fourth inning to hand Rice its first ever C-USA championship loss, 2-1, in game eleven of the 2007 C-USA Baseball Championship at Clark-LeClair Stadium on the campus of East Carolina University. With the win, the Tigers forced an elimination game with the Owls at 4 p.m. on Saturday. The winner of the rematch will advance to Sunday's championship game.

Both starters were impressive in the early innings. Rice's starter Chris Kelley had a perfect game through two outs in the fourth with seven strikeouts. Memphis' Will Hudgens was strong through five, scattering three hits and striking out two before being lifted.

Kelley's only tough inning was the one that would prove to be the difference. Bill Moss came up with two out and nobody on and blasted a solo homer, tying him with teammate Joey Lieberman for the conference lead in home runs with 13. Senior Adam Amar was up next and sent Kelley's next offering over the right field fence for back-to-back solo shots.

Rice responded with one run in the bottom of the fifth to close the gap to 2-1. Danny Lehmann was hit by a pitch with one out and then advanced to third on a double by Jordan Dodson. The bases became loaded when Hudgens hit Brian Friday. Jared Gayhart came up next and flied out to left field to bring home Lehmann.

Rice would threaten in the late innings, but was unable to tie the game or take the lead.

The Owls loaded the bases in the eighth after an Aaron Luna double, a Chad Lembeck single and an intentional walk to C-USA Player of the Year Joe Savery. J.P Padron came up next and grounded to the pitcher who threw home for the second out on the fielder's choice. Jess Buenger was up next and grounded out to short to end the threat.

In the ninth, Tyler Henley led off with a single and was sacrificed to second. He would advance no further as Matt Yokley shut the door on the Owls by getting Jordan Dodson to line out to left and then struck out Brian Friday looking to end the game.

The loss for Rice snapped a league-record 20-game winning streak.

Hudgens was credited with the win and Yokley recorded his ninth save of the season. The nine saves are a new Memphis single-season record and Yokley solidified his place in the Tiger annals as the school's career saves leader.

Kelley was saddled with the tough loss after pitching seven strong innings of four-hit ball. He finished the game with eight strikeouts and walked just one.