Tulane Green Wave Baseball Rallies to Series Victory over Xavier Musketeers
The Tulane Green Wave baseball team scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and then held on to beat the Xavier Musketeers, 5-4, on Sunday afternoon in New Orleans.
The Green Wave (15-5) were tied, 4-4, going into their at-bat, but had been behind earlier in the contest. Gavin Schulz drew a leadoff walk, followed by a Connor Rasmussen singled to right field. Schulz was able to reach third on the play.
With no one out, Michael Lombardi put down a sacrifice bunt good enough to score Schulz and move Rasmussen to second base.
Tulane was unable to get anything else on the board and had to settle for the one-run lead. Matthias Haas struck out and Tanner Chun later flew out with runners at the corners.
It proved to be enough. Taylor Montiel, who came on in the sixth inning for Jacob Moore, threw a perfect eighth inning and came away with his first win of the season. He allowed one hit and one run while he struck out four.
Lombardi came on in the ninth to claim his fifth save. He allowed a hit but also struck out two as he ended Xavier’s (8-13) chance to a game-tying or go-ahead rally.
Rasmussen had the big game at the plate, going 3-for-3. Nate Johnson went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs earlier in the contest. One of those hits was a double.
The Green Wave was working off short rest after they pushed back their Saturday start to 6:30 p.m. to avoid weather, only to go through a lightning delay of more than an hour.
After that, the Musketeers won, 10-3. Tulane never got closer than cutting the lead to 6-3 in that game as pitcher Blaise Wilcenski (3-1) took the loss for Tulane as he allowed five runs in 3.1 innings with two strikeouts.
Kaikea Harrison led the offense for the Green Wave with a pair of hits and two RBIs. Tulane was only able to get four hits in the loss.
The Green Wave won the opener, 5-2, behind a terrific game from starter Luc Fladda (1-1), who gave the Green Wave a steady, seven-inning performance in which he gave up two earned runs, five hits and struck out a career-high nine batters.
Johnson drove in two runs and finished the game with one hit. Chun had a hit with an RBI. Jason Wachs, Theo Bryant IV and Rasmussen each had a hit and scored a run.
The Green Wave then continues their homestand with a single game against Lamar on Tuesday, followed by an American Athletic Conference-opening series with Wichita State that starts on Friday.
