Next Up: Third and Final Game of Senators Cup
Apr 16, 2012 | Baseball
April 16, 2012
Tulane Game Notes | Conference USA Weekly Release
4/17/2012
Southeastern Louisiana Lions (25-11) at Tulane Green Wave (25-11)
First Pitch: 6:30 (Tue.)
Stadium: Greer Field at Turchin Stadium
Series: Tulane Leads Series 70-30
Looking at the Green Wave
Another pivotal week awaits the Tulane baseball program and a Tuesday match-up with Southeastern Louisiana is the first test for the Green Wave. After winning each of the first two meetings, they will be looking to complete the series sweep against a tough in-state opponent.
Tulane found their swing last week with ten home runs over five games to push their season total to 33 round-trippers in 36 games. The power surge helped the offense raise their batting average eight points in five games, ending the week with a .318 batting average as a squad.
On the season, TU leads Conference USA in seven offensive categories, including average, on-base and slugging percentage, doubles, home runs, total bases and fewest strikeouts. The pitching staff ranks second among the conference schools in runs allowed and is third in hits allowed in 2012.
Jeremy Schaffer moved his name into the top-20 on the Conference USA career home run charts over the weekend as he homered twice at UAB to push his career total to 41. He is along in the 20th spot on the list and is just nine RBIs from moving onto the C-USA tally. His 181 runs batted in are seventh on the career charts at Tulane.
Brandon Boudreaux found his stride at the plate last week, going 11-fo-23 (.478) with nine runs scored, seven RBIs and three home runs. The junior now has five home runs this season and ten in his career. For his efforts last week, Boudreaux was named the Conference USA and Louisiana Sports Writers Association Hitter of the Week. It is the second time this season that he has swept the two weekly awards.
Alex Byo will make his ninth start of the season on Tuesday versus the Lions. Byo enters with a 4-3 record and 3.44 ERA in 49 2/3 innings of work. He has fanned 26 to just 13 walks and is limiting the opposition to a .262 batting average against.
Looking at the Lions
Southeastern Louisiana enters the week after sweeping a three game series with Texas State at home last weekend. The Lions are 6-4 over their last ten games and are 7-7 away from the friendly confines of Alumni Field.
Sean Kennel will be making the first start of his SLU career on the mound on Tuesday evening. The sophomore has logged three and two-thirds innings in 2012 and has three strikeouts and just one walk. His earned run average stands at 7.36 and two of his three runs allowed came in the two team's first meeting of the season on Feb. 28.
Brock Hebert continues to wreak havoc on opposing pitchers this season, entering the week with a .397 batting average and 29 stolen bases. Hebert reaches base at a .488 clip and has scored 41 runs. His stolen base total ranks second in the NCAA.
Jonathan Pace is the only other player in the SLU lineup to own a batting average of better than .300, entering the game with a .383 average. He is second on the team in runs scored (21), RBIs (26), hits (51) and doubles (8). Cody Gougler is the top run producer on the squad with 29 RBIs and has two home runs, also the most on the squad.
Inside the Series
This marks the 101st meeting in the all-time series between Tulane and Southeastern Louisiana and the Green Wave hold a 70-30 advantage. The first meeting came during the 1947 campaign, a game won 6-2 by Tulane, and the two squads met three times in 2011, with the Green Wave winning two of three contests to reclaim the Senators Cup.
The two teams play for the Senators Cup, named for the late Senator John Hainkel, whose district covered both schools. The late Sen. Hainkel served as speaker of the House and as Senate President during a career in the state legislature that began in 1968 and served as a member of the Tulane Grounds Krewe.
--www.TulaneGreenWave.com--
