With the heavens opening up all over the Mid-South area, theMemphis Tigers/ Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders game wascanceled.
The Tigers and Blue Raiders will make up the rainout contesttoday as part of a doubleheader scheduled for 3 p.m.
Memphis head coach Dave Anderson said the outlook for theweather is great and the teams are on an even playing field.
"The situation right now is it will be a beautiful daytomorrow," Anderson said. "I don't think it's (the cancellation) anadvantage for either team. We got our work in today and they gottheir work in before the game. I don't think it will benefitanybody."
Anderson said the doubleheader will display if the Tigers haveregrouped from a weekend sweep at the hands of the Tulane GreenWave.
"We just didn't play very well. We are trying to iron out somethings," Anderson said. "We had a good practice today - we have achance to play some different guys and try to get them in arhythm."
In the series versus the Green Wave, Memphis was outhit 38 to 22and outscored 25-6.
The Tigers enter the doubleheader with 153 hits and 19 home runsthrough 20 games. The Memphis pitching staff has 134 strikeouts, a7.14 earned-run average and 88 walks this season.
Junior centerfielder Kevin House is the Tigers' leader in hitswith 23 and runs batted in with 23.
Following House in both categories is junior catcher Kurt Welch.The 6-foot, 200-pound man behind the plate has 16 runs batted inand 20 hits. Through 66 at bats, Welch is hitting .303.
Welch said he and his teammates have to concentrate on the BlueRaiders (9-11) in order to rebound from the three game losingstreak.
"We have to come out and stay focused and try to get two wins,"Welch said. "I think we will be fired up. We haven't been playingthe best baseball lately. I think we are ready to turn thingsaround."
The Greeley West, Colo. native said he learning about theproductivity and skill levels of the Middle Tennessee squad.
"I'm not from around here - I hear they always have a bunch ofathletes on their team," Welch said. "They always come to play andfight. We have to come out and play a good game."
The Blue Raiders have better statistics than the Tigers (6-14)through 20 games. Middle Tennessee has 185 hits and 19 dingers. TheBlue Raider pitchers have 160 Ks, a 6.05 earned-run average and 66walks.
Middle Tennessee boasts the batting average leader in the SunBelt Conference with sophomore infielder Nate Jaggers with a .452average.
Power hitter Brett Carroll paces the Blue Raiders. The 6-foot,187-pound Carroll leads the team in home runs with seven, RBIs with22 and slugging percentage with .743.
The sophomore infielder is second on the team with .357 battingaverage and is tied for the lead in hits with 25.
Anderson said Carroll and the rest of the Blue Raiders willpresent the usual challenge for Memphis.
"They are a well coached team. Every time we play them it is agood game," Anderson said. "I think every year since I've been herewe have split with them the four games we played.
"They always come out and play hard," Anderson said. "We have tocome out and play hard to beat them."
