Tulane University
UAB
Tulane Comes Up Short in Game One, 8-7
May 8, 2009 | Baseball
May 8, 2009
NEW ORLEANS- The Green Wave baseball team was on the wrong end of an 8-7 battle Friday night at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium, as the UAB Blazers bested Tulane in game one of the Conference USA series opener. Tulane (28-22, 9-10 C-USA) gave the Blazers a run for their money but couldn't capitalize, leaving a season-high 15 men on base on the contest.
"It was a really, really tough night for us," head coach Rick Jones said. "It was a disappointing night. We had all kinds of chances to win that ball game and didn't cash in."
UAB (28-21, 9-9 C-USA) jumped ahead early, posting a lone run in the opening frame when Jamal Austin (3-5, 2B) reached on an error. He stole second to move into scoring position and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Austin was plated on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Brint Hardy and the Blazers were up 1-0.
The Blazers stretched their lead in the second when Cody McMurry opened the top of the inning with a base on balls. McMurray was knocked in when Andrew Manning (2-3, two HR) got a hold of one, taking a pitch over the right-center field wall and UAB was up 3-0. Luke Stewart followed the at bat with a home run of his own before Jonathan Garrett induced the fly ball out from Digger Towe. But Austin Taylor picked up his teammate, going deep to left to extend the Blazers' lead, 5-0 in the middle of the second.
The Green Wave got on the board in the third when Nick Boullosa led off with a double off the top of the left field wall. Boullosa was tagging on a fly ball off the bat of Josh Prince, moving him to third. UAB's Beau Pender issued back to back walks to Scott Powell and Sam Honeck, loading the bases for cleanup man Jeremy Schaffer. Schaffer hit a bullet to left field, scoring Boullosa to avoiding the shutout and it was 6-1 headed into the fourth.
Tulane kept chipping away, putting up another run in the bottom of the fourth when Evan Mistich led off with a base on balls. Mistich motored to third on a Drew Allain double and was plated on ground ball to the right side from Prince and it was 6-2 through five.
The Green Wave added a crooked number to the runs column in their half of the fifth when Honeck led off with a walk, followed by another base on balls to Schaffer, which ended Pender's outing. The Blazers called on Blake Huddleston to face Seth Henry. Henry drew the third walk of the inning to load the bases for Steve Moritz. Moritz (2-5, 3 RBI) delivered, driving the ball into the right-center gap, scoring Honeck and Schaffer, while moving Henry to third. With runners at the corners, Jamie Bruno stepped in to pinch hit for the Wave. Bruno's cue shot to the right side scored Henry and moved Moritz to second, bringing Tulane within one, 6-5.
But UAB stretched their lead again in the top of the seventh via two solo shots from Jonathan Merritt and Manning and it was 8-5 after six and a half. Tulane rallied in their half of the frame with Allain getting the one-out walk. Huddleston dotted Boullosa for the second time in the contest, bringing Prince to the dish. The junior from Sulphur, La. delivered the RBI single up the middle and the Wave closed the gap again, 8-6. The base knock would end Huddleston's outing and bring Mark McKinley into the game to face Powell. Powell drew the walk but the Wave couldn't cash in on any more runs in the frame and it remained 8-6 through seven.
Tulane picked up another run in the eighth when Henry led off with the base on balls. He stole second to get into scoring position for Moritz who again came up with the key RBI knock, this time a double to right field. Henry marked the seventh Wave run and Tulane was within one, 8-7.
But UAB held on to secure the win in the ninth to give the Blazers game one of the C-USA series. Tulane will look to even the series Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 2PM at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium.
