Tulane University
Wichita State
Wave Walk Off With Series Win Over Wichita State
Mar 13, 2011 | Baseball
March 13, 2011
Box Score (PDF) | Season Statistics (PDF)
NEW ORLEANS - It was the first extra innings game of the season for the Tulane baseball team and it ended with a bang as Blake Crohan sent a ball sailing over the net in left field to push the Green Wave to a 3-2 victory and a series win over Wichita State at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium. Drew Zizinia limited the Shocker offense to just one hit in five innings of his first collegiate start and D.J. Ponder posted the first win of his career in relief.
The Green Wave entered the fifth inning hitless against Wichita State starting pitcher Josh Smith, but Nick Schneeberger changed that, and the score, with one swing of the bat. Schneeberger took the first pitch and hit it off the right field foul pole for his first home run of the season.
Zizinia was replaced in the sixth inning after throwing five scoreless innings and allowed just one hit and one walk in his outing. Zizinia struck out five batters in his first career start for the redshirt senior - who was appearing in his 42nd career game - and received a no decision.
David Napoli started the sixth inning and retired the first two batters he faced before Tyler Grimes tied things up with a home run to right center.
Tulane retook the lead in the seventh inning when Schneeberger single up the middle to start the frame and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Bowen Woodson. After a ground out by pinch hitter Brandon Boudreaux and a walk to Quinn Pippin, Matt Ryan doubled down the right field line to give the Green Wave a 2-1 lead.
After a Shocker run in the eighth inning squared things up at 2-2, the Green Wave were unable to capitalize on bases loaded situations in the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings.
Wichita State had runners on base in the final seven innings, but Napoli, Alex Facundus, Nick Pepitone and Ponder did enough to keep the ballgame tied.
In the eleventh inning, Crohan stepped in with one out and no one on base. Heading into the at-bat, Crohan was 0-1 with a walk and was hit three times, but he sent the fourth pitch he saw from newly inserted reliever Foster Vielock over the netting in left field for his second career walk-off home run.
Ponder (1-0) picked up his first collegiate win with a scoreless inning of work and one strikeout.
Crohan reached base in five of his six plate appearances, including his first home run of the season, while Schneeberger was the lone Tulane player to post two hits in the game. Schneeberger scored a pair of runs, while he, Ryan and Crohan posted the RBI's.
The Green Wave will play a pair of home midweek contests, with Southeastern Louisiana coming to Turchin Stadium on Tuesday, March 15 and Alcorn State on Wednesday, March 16.
--TulaneGreenWave.com--
