Tulane University
Rutgers
Freshmen Shine In Baseball's 6-4 Win Over Rutgers
Mar 9, 2002 | Baseball
March 9, 2002
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The freshman combination of third baseman Brooks Shankle and relief pitcher Kelly Comarda proved to be a lethal one as the Tulane University baseball team rolled past the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers, 6-4, Saturday evening at Turchin Stadium.
Shankle, who hit his first career home run in last night's 4-2 win, went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBI to lead the Green Wave's eight-hit attack. Comarda (1-1), meanwhile, was masterful in 6.0 innings of work, striking out two and allowing just four baserunners to earn his first collegiate victory. With the win, Tulane improves to 11-5 on the year while the Scarlet Knights fall to 5-3.
"Kelly Comarda was really, really good," head coach Rick Jones said. "He just kept pumping strikes and had command of his pitches. That was a good performance and we needed it. Kelly was the difference.
"Brooks is really starting to come on for us and had three quality at-bats for us tonight. He's a big strong kid whose work ethic is as good as anybody I've been around, and it's starting to pay off."
After falling behind 2-1 after an inning and a half of play, Shankle launched a two-run bomb over the left field wall to plate shortstop Anthony Giarratano, who reached base on a walk on at-bat earlier, to put the Green Wave ahead for good with a 3-2 lead. Tulane was not done in the inning, however, as centerfielder Jon Kaplan reached on an error, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on an error by Rutgers catcher Alberto Vasquez.
Then, in the third, left fielder Bryan Stelmack drew a four-pitch walk, right fielder Gerald Clark singled and Giarratano reached via base on balls to load the bases and set up more heroics for Shankle. Facing a 1-2 count, Shankle laced an single through the left side to plate Stelmack and give the Green Wave a 5-2 advantage.
The Green Wave would add an insurance run in the fourth when second baseman James Jurries singled, stole a pair of bases, and came around to score on an RBI groundout by first baseman Michael Aubrey. But Shankle's RBI single in the third would be all Tulane would need as Comarda shut down the Scarlet Knights.
Comarda came on in relief of starter Beau Richardson with bases loaded and nobody out in the fourth and quickly got out of the jam, forcing Rutgers second baseman Graig Badger to ground into a double play and third baseman Ryan Lilly to end the threat.
From there, though, Comarda was in cruise control as he would face just three more than the minimum the rest of the way en route to the victory. Things got hairy in the top of the ninth, though as he walked Badger with two out to bring the tying run to the plate in the form of Lillis. But Comarda forced the two-hole hitter to ground out to short and the game was over.
Jurries joined Shankle in the multiple-hit category, going 3-for-4 with a double and a runs scored. Aubrey, meanwhile tallied two RBI on the evening.
Rutgers starter Tom Crohan was saddled with the loss after giving up six runs - five earned - on six hits while walking six and striking out a pair in 3.2 innings.
The Green Wave will look to complete the sweep of the Scarlet Knights on Sunday at 1 p.m. when Tulane closes out its three-game series against the Scarlet Knights on Sunday at Turchin Stadium.
