NEW ORLEANS, La. – The top-ranked Tulane University baseball team returns to action on Friday, May 6, when the Green Wave open a three-game tilt against Conference USA foe Memphis at 6:30 p.m. at Turchin Stadium.

Tulane enters this weekend’s series with Memphis 39-8, 16-5 in C-USA play and looking to improve on a one-game lead in the league race. TCU is right on the Green Wave’s tail in the league standings at 15-6, and Southern Miss is three games back with a 13-8 C-USA record.

As a team, the Green Wave are hitting .310 with a .490 slugging percentage courtesy of 108 doubles, eight triples and 55 home runs. Senior shortstop Tommy Manzella leads the team with a .371 batting average, and freshman third baseman Brad Emaus is next with a .345 clip. Junior utility athlete Micah Owings paces Tulane with 13 home runs, while Manzella leads the club with 47 RBI and 17 stolen bases.

From the mound, the Green Wave have a 3.72 ERA and have held opponents to a .251 batting average. As a staff, Tulane hurlers have combined for 397 strikeouts and just 122 walks in 418.1 innings. Junior southpaw Brian Bogusevic leads the team with a 2.57 ERA, 85 strikeouts and 84.0 innings pitched. Sean Morgan and Daniel Latham have been the team’s best bullpen arms as Morgan has six wins and five saves, while Latham has eight saves and a win in 21 appearances.

Memphis, meanwhile, comes into the weekend matchup 10-33 on the year, 4-17 in Conference USA and looking to finish the season strong. The Tigers have had a rough go of it so far in 2005 and have won just two of their last 22 contests.

The Tigers are hitting .264 as a team with a .365 slugging percentage on the strength of 65 doubles, 11 triples and 21 home runs. Ryan Martin paces the squad with a .340 batting average, followed by Chad House and Patrick Hope with marks of .303 and .287, respectively. Martin leads the team in the triple crown categories with eight homers and 44 RBI, and K.K. Chalmers has a team-best 13 stolen bases in 16 attempts.

As a staff, Memphis has a 6.97 ERA and has allowed opponents to post a .334 batting average. Tiger hurlers have combined for 217 strikeouts and 165 walks in 369.1 innings of work. Stephen Gostkowski paces the Tigers with a 7.00 ERA, 36 strikeouts and 63.0 innings pitched, and Daniel de Armas, Drew Jaudon and Chris South are tied for the team lead in wins with two each. South paces the club with 19 appearances, and Ryan Fly has two of Memphis’ four saves so far in 2005.

This weekend’s games mark the 54th, 55th and 56th times the Green Wave and Tigers meet on the diamond, and Tulane holds a 32-21 advantage in the all-time series. Under 12th year head coach Rick Jones, Tulane is 23-6 vs. Memphis, including a 2-1 series win last season at Nat Buring Stadium.

For ticket information to this weekend’s ballgames, and future Green Wave events, contact the Tulane Athletics Ticket Office at (504) 861-WAVE.