Kaplan Spurs Baseball to 7-6 Win over Stetson

Friday, March 24

Greer Field at Turchin Stadium

6:30 p.m.

Tulane University

9-13

Stetson

8-16

Stetson

Tulane

Photo by: Parker Waters

Kaplan Spurs Baseball to 7-6 Win over Stetson

Mar 24, 2017 | Baseball

Box Score

Box Score

NEW ORLEANS – Lex Kaplan drove in four runs on two hits, including an RBI single in the eighth inning that made the difference in Tulane baseball's 7-6 win over Stetson Friday evening at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium.

Kaplan gave the Green Wave (9-13) the lead twice in the game. His three-run home run in the fourth inning put the home team ahead, 4-2, and his base hit in the eighth plated Tyler Heinrichs for the winning run. The Wave led 6-2 before the Hatters (8-16) scored four runs in the seventh to tie the game.

Brandon Issa earned the win in relief for his first career victory. He entered in the seventh with the bases loaded and retired the side, then did the same in the eighth. Christian Colletti earned his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth. Corey Merrill was effective in the start, collecting a season-high nine strikeouts and allowing one earned run on four hits in six complete innings.

"The last few games, we've come out and punched early. Tonight was a different way, but we're finding ways to win," Tulane head coach Travis Jewett said. "Their pitcher was doing a good job. He had a lot of strikeouts coming into the game and you could see why. It took some time to see his pitches and the movement and velocity, and our players were able to do that. Merrill kept the game in check and gave us a chance to figure it out a little bit. Of course, Kaplan's two-out, two-strike hit the other way was exciting. Issa came in and did damage control to give us a chance, and we answered back."

Stetson took a 2-0 lead with single runs in the third and fourth innings. Ben Rowden doubled and scored on Mike Spooner's single in the third inning. Jorge Arenas singled with two outs in the fourth, stole third and scored when the throw from short on a grounder was mishandled at first base.

The Green Wave responded with four two-out runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 4-2 lead. Jarret DeHart drew a one-out walk, and Sal Gozzo and Tyler Heinrichs followed with back-to-back singles, the second plating a run. Kaplan then drove an opposite field home run on a 2-2 pitch into the jet stream going out to left field.

The Wave tacked on two more runs in the fifth to make it a 6-2 lead. Three consecutive singles by Jake Willsey, Grant Witherspoon and Hunter Williams produced a run, and a sacrifice fly by DeHart plated the second run.

Tulane's bullpen ran into trouble in the seventh inning, as the Hatters loaded the bases with a walk and two singles. A balk scored one run and another walk loaded the bases again. Issa entered and allowed a hit and a sacrifice fly but got a strikeout and groundout to end the frame and keep the score tied.

Heinrichs hit a one-out double to deep right center in the eighth inning, advancing to third when the ball was mishandled by the right fielder. Kaplan then knocked a ground ball single through the right side to score Heinrichs.

Dean Garabedian (0-1) pitched 1.1 innings in relief, and took the loss for the Hatters.

Game 2 of the series is at 4 p.m. Saturday. The 1992 Tulane Metro Conference Championship team will be honored on the field prior to first pitch, at about 3:40 p.m.

Tickets to Saturday's game can be purchased at the Tulane Athletics Ticket Office in the James W. Wilson Center. The game will be broadcast on 88.3 FM WRBH and the TuneIn Radio app, and live video and live stats can be found at www.TulaneGreenWave.com.

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Tulane 7, Stetson 6 (Mar 24, 2017 at New Orleans, La.)
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Stetson............. 001 100 400 - 6 7 1 (8-16)
Tulane.............. 000 420 01X - 7 12 3 (9-13)
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Pitchers: Stetson - Brooks Wilson; Tyler Keller(6); Dean Garabedian(7) and Austin Hale.
Tulane - MERRILL, Corey; HOGAN, Jack(7); ISSA, Brandon(7); COLLETTI, Christian(9) and
GOZZO, Paul.
Win-ISSA, Brandon(1-0) Save-COLLETTI, Christian(1) Loss-Dean Garabedian(0-1) T-2:40 A-2010
HR TLN - KAPLAN, Lex (2).
Weather: 74 Cloudy, Wind SE @ 12 mph
J. HOGAN faced 4 batters in the 7th.