Tiger freshman shuts down Houston
Alexander helps Memphis clinch series win
U OF M 6, HOUSTON 2
University of Memphis baseball coach Daron Schoenrock resisted making predictions about where freshman righthander Connor Alexander would fit in the Tigers’ rotation before the former Tipton-Rosemark Academy standout stepped foot on campus. Schoenrock doesn’t like putting pressure on any U of M newcomer.
Two months into the season, Schoenrock can safely say his thoughts about Alexander’s value to the pitching staff were valid.
In Saturday’s 6-2 American Athletic Conference victory over 20th-ranked Houston, Alexander improved to 4-0 by limiting the Cougars to two runs on four hits in seven innings. He struck out a seasonhigh seven.
“That was big for Connor,” Schoenrock said. “I try to avoid envisioning things in the recruiting process, like this freshman is going to come in and be our Friday night starter, or be our starting center fielder. I kind of let it unfold in the fall (workouts).”
What transpired during the fall workouts was that Alexander, according to Schoenrock, showed he was capable of a bigger role.
“Two things happened in the fall,” Schoenrock said. “He got physically stronger, put on some (needed) weight and he began executing pitches. He is strike-thrower who lives down in the strike zone. He’s a tough guy for (opposing hitters) to elevate. And he has poise beyond what a freshman normally has.”
Alexander, 6-2 and 165 pounds, displayed that poise in the fifth inning when the Cougars loaded the bases with no outs. Alexander pitched out of the jam by allowing only one run on a sacrifice fly and taking advantage of a Houston baserunning error to end the inning.
“It was good to get out of there giving up just one run,” said Alexander, who went 11-2 last year and helped Tipton-Rosemark to a runner-up finish in the state playoffs.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Tigers benefited from more Houston mistakes as the Cougars committed three errors. The Tigers scored four runs on one hit. Houston starter Seth Romero (3-3) allowed six runs in 7 innings, but only one was earned.
Alexander said Tiger coaches mentioned that he had the ability to become a weekend starter, but Alexander wasn’t certain.
“But I worked hard this fall,” he said. “And it seemed to work out for me.”
Alexander relied on a balanced mix of fastballs, curveballs and change-ups against the Cougars.
“I realize now I can win at this level if I keep my pitches low and we play good defense,” Alexander said. “If that happens, I can compete with anyone.”
The Tigers (19-8, 4-2) moved into sole possession of second place in the AAC by winning two of the three games against the Cougars in the series and could find themselves candidates for a Top 25 national ranking this week. Houston dropped to 21-11 and 3-3.
“It’s going to help the confidence of this team,” Schoenrock said of the series win over Houston. “Our team is handling winning pretty good, and it is handling losing pretty good. You have to be able to do both. It’s a long, marathon season.”