Tulane University
UC Irvine
Tulane Captures 6-3 Victory Against UC Irvine
Mar 14, 2009 | Baseball
March 14, 2009
Irvine, Calif.- The Tulane University baseball team came out of the gates swinging Saturday afternoon, en route to a 6-3 win at Anteater Ballpark. Matt Petiton picked up the win to improve to 3-0 while Nick Pepitone got his third save of the year, behind some big swings from the Tulane bats.
"We played a complete game today," head coach Rick Jones said. "We got good starting pitching out of Matt Petiton, a tremendous bullpen relief effort from Nick Pepitone and, defensively we were sound. The one error we made we recovered and got the out on the same play. And we got off to a great start with three quick runs then we stretched the lead."
The Wave jumped out to an early lead when Nick Boullosa took the first pitch off the ballgame to centerfield for a single. Boullosa advanced when he took off for second on an executed hit and run off the bat of Scott Powell and wound up at third. With runners at the corners and no outs, three-hitter Seth Henry stepped in and took the first pitch offering from Anteaters' starter Christian Bergman deep over the left field wall for his fifth home run of the year and gave Tulane the early 3-0 lead.
UCI picked up a lone run in their half of the second when Ryan Fisher drew a one-out walk off of Petiton and moved into scoring position when Jeff Cusick was hit by a pitch. Runners advanced on another walk to Eric Deragisch and Fisher scored on a bloop to left field off the bat of Tony Asaro, bringing the Anteaters within two, 3-1.
Tulane picked up another run in their half of the seventh when Drew Allain led off the inning with a soft line drive to left. Matt Ryan got the bunt down to move Allain into scoring position. Ryan's sacrifice paid dividends when Josh Prince stepped in and laced a single back up the middle to plate Allain and extend the Green Wave's lead, 4-2.
"Drew Allain getting that single and Matt Ryan getting that bunt down then having Josh Prince knock him in, that's the way you draw it," Jones said. "Then Scotty leading off and Sammy getting that home run, that was a great stretch of the lead."
UCI answered back with an immediate single just past the outstretched glove of Henry and quickly brought in Jordan Fox to run for Asaro. Petiton handed the ball over to reliever Nick Pepitone, who came into face Tommy Reyes. Reyes advanced Fox over to second with a sacrifice bunt, giving the Wave the first out of the inning and bringing Corey Olson to the plate. Olson picked up an RBI when he grounded out to the right side, scoring Fox, who had moved up a base on a wild pitch earlier in Olson's count and the Anteaters closed in on Tulane, 4-3. DJ Crumlich picked up a base on balls and with two outs, Ben Orloff stepped in and picked up a hit on a bunt to the left side, moving Crumlich to second. With runners at first and second and two outs, Francis Larson fell behind in the count 1-2 before Pepitone sent him back to the dugout with a K to record the third out of the inning.
Powell opened up the top of the eighth taking Bergman's first pitch back up the box for a single. With one out, Irvine tapped into their bullpen, bringing in Noel Avison to face Sam Honeck. Honeck, who had taken Avison yard in the eighth inning of Friday night's contest, worked his count even at 1-1 before crushing another home run to right field of the Anteater reliever, and giving Tulane the 6-3 lead.
Pepitone headed back to the mound for the bottom half of the frame and quickly retired the side with two fly balls to Allain in right before striking out Deragisch to end the eighth.
Pepitone went on to record two quick outs in the bottom of the ninth before Olson drove a double off the wall in an attempt to rally the Anteaters but Pepitone responded by throwing a strikeout to pinch hitter Brock Bardeen to finish off UCI and give Tulane the 6-3 victory.
"I knew we had to play well today and we came out and played very well," Jones said. "I thought Matt Ryan gave us a great lift defensively in his first start [at third base]. Steve Moritz caught really well and in the ninth, Steve's foot was bothering him a little bit and Jeremy [Schaffer] came in and made a great play to hold onto the third strike on the second hitter, which was a tough play because it was tipped. And Matt Ryan to make his first collegiate start in this position; it's not easy to step into that spot on Saturday against Irvine in a pretty big game. We really needed him and he played well defensively and he had solid at-bats."
The Wave will face UCI in the rubber match tomorrow at 3PM Central Time at Anteater Ballpark in Irvine, Calif.
