Baseball To Hold Alumni Game On Saturday, Feb. 5
Feb 3, 2005 | Baseball
Feb. 3, 2005
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Baseball fans can get their first glimpse of the preseason No. 1-ranked 2005 Tulane baseball team in action when the Green Wave host its Fifth Annual Alumni Game on Saturday, Feb. 5 beginning at noon at Turchin Stadium.
The festivities will kick off when the Green Wave greats play an "Old Timers" game until 1:30 p.m. Then, at 2 p.m., the 2005 team will take on a squad composed of the 2001 College World Series team as well as current and former professional players who graduated from the Tulane program. Both games are open to the public, and admission is free. At the conclusion of the day, both current and former Tulane players will be available for an autograph session.
Among players expected back for the Alumni Games are first-round draft choices Frank Wills (1980, Kansas City Royals) and Jake Gautreau (2001, San Diego Padres), former All-Americans Jared Berkowitz, Andy Cannizaro, James Jurries, Jason Navarro and Dan Wagner, and MLB veterans Wills and Jack Cressend. Also expected to be on hand are former head coaches Ben Abadie and Milt Retif.
The Green Wave are 3-1 in alumni games, including last year's 6-5 decision that saw Tulane erase a 4-0 deficit. The 2005 Green Wave returns seven of its top nine hitters and four of its top five pitchers from the 2004 team that finished second in Conference USA, won the NCAA Oxford Super Regional and advanced to the NCAA Fullerton Super Regional. In addition, Tulane's recruiting class ranked fourth-best in the nation by Baseball America and fifth in the country by Collegiate Baseball.
Headlining the list of returners for 2005 is junior utility athlete Brian Bogusevic, who earned second-team All-America honors a year ago and was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2004 NCAA Oxford Regional. Joining Bogusevic on the list of returnees are a quintet of seniors - outfielder Matt Barket, catcher Greg Dini, second baseman Joe Holland, catcher/DH Scott Madden and shortstop Tommy Manzella - as well as position players Tim Guidry, Mark Hamilton and Nathan Southard.
Bogusevic also returns as one of the Green Wave's top pitchers from last year's team, and will be joined by starters J.R. Crowel and Billy Mohl, and bullpen arms Ricky Fairchild, Matt Goebel, Brandon Gomes, Tyler Kimmons, Daniel Latham and Chris Worster.
The list of talented newcomers is highlighted by transfer Micah Owings, who was a two-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection and a 2003 All-American as a two-way star in two seasons at Georgia Tech. Also joining the team for the 2005 season is junior college all-star Matt Riser, high school All-American Warren McFadden and 2004 MLB draft picks Brad Emaus and Sean Morgan.
The Green Wave opens the 2005 regular season on Friday, Feb. 11 when they open a three-game weekend against Southeast Missouri State at 6:30 p.m. at Turchin Stadium. Season tickets are now on sale for the 2005 Tulane University baseball season. For more information, contact the Tulane Athletics Ticket Office at 504-861-WAVE or log on to the internet at www.tulanegreenwave.com.
