Tulane University
CHICAGO STATE
Baseball Falls In Series-Opener To Chicago State, 2-1
May 17, 2007 | Baseball
May 17, 2007
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METAIRIE, La. - Sophomore right-hander Shooter Hunt fanned seven in 6.0-scoreless innings, but Chicago State erased a 1-0 deficit with single runs in the eighth and ninth innings, as the Tulane University baseball team dropped a 2-1 decision to the Cougars Thursday afternoon at Zephyr Field.
Both teams had seven hits on the day, but it was the Cougars who got them when they needed them as five came over the final two stanzas. The loss was the 10th in their last 11 games for the Green Wave, who fell to 30-24 on the year. Chicago State, meanwhile, snapped a 15-game losing streak to improve to 4-47.
"This is a low ebb for me and the program," Tulane head coach Rick Jones said. "This is unacceptable for anyone who is associated with the program, including myself, and it starts with me. I'm not going to let this continue."
The Green Wave drew first blood when sophomore right fielder Warren McFadden scored on a 6-3 groundout off the bat of sophomore second baseman Seth Henry in the second, but that would be the lone Tulane runner to touch the paystation.
Tulane stranded 11 runners on base - including six in scoring position - and left the bases loaded once. The Green Wave had a runner at second and only one away in both the sixth and eighth innings, and had the tying run on in the ninth following a one-out walk by sophomore left fielder Nate Simon. The combination of Chris Freshour and Mike Wieda, however, kept the Green Wave off the scoreboard over the final seven innings to earn the series-opening victory.
"Confidence (offensively) comes from doing it," Jones said. "We had a great practice on Tuesday, we had a really good workout yesterday, but at the end of the day, you've got to knock people in when it counts. If you don't do that, then after a while, it starts to set in. We haven't done that in a long time."
Leading 1-0, Tulane brought in rookie right-hander Preston Claiborne to pitch the seventh, and after a scoreless frame, went to senior closer Daniel Latham. Chicago State right fielder Bryan Packard greeted Latham rudely with a single up the middle to start the eighth, advanced the bases on a sacrifice bunt and a groundout, and scored on single by nine-hole hitter Chris Goya.
Goya entered the game hitting just .108, but that did not matter as he slapped a 1-2 offering from Latham into shallow center to tie the game at 1-all. Tulane dodged a bullet thanks to a Cougars base-running error as left fielder Thomas Creal ripped a double down the line in right and had what appeared to be a triple. A hobbling Goya, however, stopped at third, and Creal was tagged out on the play to keep the game tied.
"He's hitting .125 (after the game) because he's been hurt all year," Chicago State interim head coach Husain Mahmoud said of Goya. "He hasn't had that many opportunities and he hasn't had that many at-bats. There was no panic whatsoever. If he hadn't been hurt, he would have scored the run (in the eighth)."
Unfazed by the miscue an inning earlier, Chicago State came out swinging in the ninth as well as centerfielder Simeon Morgan singled up the middle to open the stanza, stole second and scored on a one-out RBI-single to shallow right by first baseman Sean Murphy. The Green Wave may have had a chance to make a play at the plate following Murphy's single, but the ball ricocheted off McFadden's shins allowing the run to score easily.
Lost in the late-inning Chicago State comeback was the pitching performance by Hunt. Hunt, who has left the game with the lead in three of his last four starts, gave up just one hit - a single to Murphy to leadoff the second - and two walks, but came away with yet another no decision. Latham (2-5) was tagged with the loss - his fourth in his last seven appearances - after giving up a pair of runs on five hits in 2.0 innings of relief.
Wieda (3-9) earned the victory for the Jaguars after scattering a pair of hits and walking just one while fanning four in 4.0 innings out of the bullpen. Freshour, meanwhile, kept Chicago State in the ballgame after giving up just one run on five hits and five walks while striking out three in a 5.0-inning start.
Tulane and Chicago State continue the series on Friday before closing out the regular season on Saturday, and both contests are scheduled to begin at noon. For ticket information to weekend's remaining ballgames, as well as C-USA Tournament packages, contact the Tulane Athletics ticket office at (504) 861-WAVE. Tickets can also be purchased on the day of the game at the Zephyr Field Ticket Office, which is located on the third-base side of the stadium and opens approximately two hours before first pitch.
