The University of Memphis and the University of Mississippi baseball teams will do battle tomorrow night at 7 p.m. in the first-ever collegiate game at AutoZone Park.
The idea to schedule the game at the downtown stadium was the work of first-year head coach Dave Anderson.
Associate athletic director Bob Kilpatrick said that Anderson has generated new excitement for the baseball program and that this game is a good chance for the community to support Tiger baseball.
"It's a great opportunity for people to see our players and for our players to play in a great ballpark. I'm sure the Ole Miss players are excited as well," Kilpatrick said.
Anderson, a former Tiger player, ranks in the top 10 of several all-time U of M individual offensive categories, including batting average, runs scored, home runs and stolen bases.
He seems to be passing on those offensive skills to the newest generation of Tigers.
Junior Daniel Uggla tied two team records last Wednesday as he became the seventh Tiger to hit three home runs in a game. He also tied a record, with nine runs-batted-in, as Memphis trounced Eastern Illinois 23-15. This result followed a 20-4 drubbing of the Panthers the day before.
The Tigers are currently 11-6 overall and 1-2 in Conference USA after a weekend series at Charlotte.
The Rebels (18-5-1) are coming off a three-game sweep of nationally ranked Auburn.
Kilpatrick said that Redbirds' general manager Allie Prescott and owner Dean Jernigan welcomed the idea of the game.
"I think we are going to try to make this an annual thing," Kilpatrick said.
The game was originally scheduled for tonight, but was moved to avoid any conflict with the U of M men's basketball second round NIT game at The Pyramid.
Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson said he is grateful to the Ole Miss athletic department and baseball staff for their patience in agreeing to reschedule the game.
"This game is an important event, and we would like to involve as many Tiger fans as possible," Johnson said.
All events originally scheduled for Tuesday evening at AutoZone Park will be included on Wednesday evening.
The Tigers' next home series will be this weekend against the Houston Cougars at Millington Olympic Stadium. The game times will be Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Tigers will be trying to avenge five straight losses to the Rebels, and they have a return game on Tuesday, April 3 in Oxford.
