One thing every good team has, no matter what the sport, is the ability to be consistent. This is currently one of the main things the Memphis Tigers are lacking.
The Memphis Tigers once again find themselves at a neutral record after splitting the weekend doubleheader on Saturday against New Orleans. They won that series 2-1, but the last two weeks have been an up and down stretch for the Tigers, where they have only won 4 out of the last ten games.
The Grind City Classic was an especially ugly stretch for the Tigers, as they lost all three of those games. This was after dropping the previous two games to Ole Miss and Wright State University. So, before this week began, the Tigers were on a five-game losing streak and taking a large step back.
Jake Curtis steps up at bat vs Wright State University during the second game of the series. This was the last game the Tigers won before going on a five game losing streak.
The following week, the Tigers put an end to the losing streak in the game against North Alabama. This win led to them going on a three-game win streak, which was ultimately stopped by New Orleans on Saturday afternoon in the first game of the doubleheader. Memphis lost that game 1-6, then won the next 12-10.
That has been the story for the Tigers. On a good hitting day, they seem like a complete team with few holes. In games they score ten or more points, their record is 7-0. Also, the Tigers average 10.9 runs in their wins. On the other hand, their losses are a completely different story, as so far this season they only average 4.54 runs in their losses. That is a huge drop off, and in three of their 11 losses they have only scored one run.
Pitching has also been a wildly inconsistent. In ten games the pitchers have allowed ten or more hits, and in six of those their opponents have scored ten or more runs. In the games they allow 10+ hits, they are 3-7.
Coach Matt Riser has said on multiple occasions that this team is a player-led team. However, after the weekend skid during the Grind City Classic, he was very transparent with what he wanted out of the players.
“If you’re still in, I expect to see you on Tuesday,” Riser said. “If not no big deal, come see me on Monday and we can set up the transfer portal.”
Matt Riser over looks the field while the Memphis Tigers are at bat.
Riser said no one showed up on Monday, and he said the seniors played a big role in the shift in play during the midweek series.
Another thing that Riser said that could be a key weapon for the Tiger’s is the energy from the dugout.
“The human mind is a beautiful thing. It’s probably the most complex machine that there is in the world, no matter what technology we have. And, you know, positive thinking and our positive reinforcement in the dugout with 37 guys in there bonding together. Makes it a huge difference.”
The Tigers are looking to build on their positive performance during Saturday’s second game when they face Mississippi State in Starksville. Following that, they have their weekend series at South Florida University. Memphis is just 3-5 on the road, so this may be a difficult stretch for them up ahead.
The Tigerpen 
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