Friday, May 5
Greer Field at Turchin Stadium
6:30 p.m.
Tulane University
vs
UCF
Photo by: Parker Waters
Baseball Faces UCF in Three-Game Series
May 4, 2017 | Baseball
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NEW ORLEANS – Tulane baseball plays host to UCF for a key three-game American Athletic Conference series this weekend at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium. Game times are 6:30 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
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The Green Wave (22-24, 9-6 American) and the Knights (31-14, 9-6 American) are two of five teams tied for first place in the American Athletic Conference standings, with three weekends to play. The games will be broadcast on 88.3 FM WRBH, and live video and live stats will be available at www.TulaneGreenWave.com. Sunday's game will be broadcast by the American Digital Network.
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Series History
Tulane and UCF have played 39 times. Tulane leads the series 22-17. The Green Wave won all five meetings last season – three during the regular season in Orlando and two during the conference tournament. Tulane also won two of three in 2013 and 2015 in New Orleans, while UCF won the series in New Orleans in 2012.
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Season Ticket Holder Appreciation
To thank season ticket holders, Tulane Athletics is holding season ticket holder appreciation weekend for this May 5-7 series vs. UCF. Season ticket holders may pick up two additional tickets for a game this weekend, have access to specials at concessions stands, and receive 10 percent off purchases at the Green Wave Team Shop.
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Quick Notes
• Sophomore Grant Witherspoon is on the American Athletic Conference Honor Roll this week after hitting .421 with five RBI and five runs in four games last week. He tallied two hits in each contest, and recorded three RBI and three runs in a 9-6 win over LSU last Tuesday.
• Tulane is 19-12 in its last 31 games after a 3-12 start. The Green Wave has raised its batting average 45 points in the last 31 games.
• Tulane has tallied double-digit hits 16 of the last 30 games, and 18 times overall this season.
• Senior Hunter Williams has played in all 46 games, and he has multiple hits in 22 of them, while Witherspoon has multiple hits in 21 of 46 games.
• Williams leads Tulane with a .349 batting average, 67 hits, 15 doubles, 25 extra base hits, a .578 SLG% and a .400 OBP.
• Senior Jarret DeHart has a team-high 39 RBI and 10 home runs, and Grant Witherspoon leads the Wave with 41 runs scored and nine stolen bases.
• Two players have started all 46 games for the Green Wave this season: sophomore Grant Witherspoon and Williams. Senior Jake Willsey has played in all 46 games with 44 starts, and DeHart has played in and started 44 games.
• Among Tulane's 22 wins, nine have been by one run. Tulane is 9-6 in one-run games. The Green Wave have posted two shutouts (6-0 vs West Virginia and 7-0 vs Columbia).
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Player Trends
• Hunter Williams: In his last 30 games, he has hit .378 with 27 RBI, 28 runs, 20 extra base hits (12 doubles, 7 HR), .654 SLG%, .420 OBP. In his last 75 games, dating back to April 8, 2016, Williams has hit .340 (107-for-315) with 64 RBI, 18 home runs and 25 doubles.
• Lex Kaplan: Since starting the season 1-for-22 (0-for his first 21), he has hit .336 (42-for-125) with 23 RBI, 27 runs, 11 doubles, seven home runs, 22 walks, a .592 SLG% and a .451 OBP.
• Jake Willsey: In his last 16 games, he has hit .327 with nine XBH (4 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR), 9 RBI, 10 runs, 8 BB, .673 SLG% and .408 OBP
• J.P. France: Has made 11 starts, and pitched at least 6.0 innings in 10 of them. In those 10 starts (subtracting a 3.0-inning outing in which he allowed eight runs at UCSB), France has compiled a 3.21 ERA with 50 strikeouts, 20 walks and 25 earned runs in 70.0 innings.
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Hunter Williams Named CoSIDA Academic All-District
Senior first baseman Hunter Williams was selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 6 Team. Williams has carried a 4.0 grade-point average throughout college, and is on track to receive his degree in neuroscience this month, and pursue medical school. The West Monroe, La., native was selected to the American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team in 2015 and 2016, and was awarded a Conference USA Academic Medal in 2014.
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Strength of Schedule
Tulane's schedule ranks No. 25 in the nation, according to the NCAA, while it's RPI sits at No. 81, as of April 26. The Green Wave is 5-2 vs. the RPI Top-25 and 12-7 vs. the RPI Top-50. Tulane's RPI ranking has moved up 188 spots since March 14, when the Wave had a 3-12 record and an RPI of 269. Only two teams have more than Tulane's 13 Top-50 wins – No. 1 Oregon State (15), No. 2 North Carolina (16), No. 3 Kentucky (15) and No. 5 Texas Tech (14).
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Double 'Em Up
Tulane leads The American with 49 double plays turned – 12 more than the next team in the league. That figure ranks fifth in the nation, while Tulane's average of 1.07 double plays per game ranks 11th.
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Pitching Matchups
Friday
Tulane:Â RHP Corey Merrill, Sr. | 6-3, 4.91 ERA, 11 APP, 11 GS, 66.0 IP, 66 H, 36 ER, 51 K, 35 BB
UCF:Â Â Â Â Â RHP Robby Howell, Sr. | 7-0, 3.24 ERA, 11 APP, 11 GS, 66.2 IP, 63 H, 24 ER, 62 K, 26 BB
Saturday
Tulane:Â RHP J.P. France, Jr. | 4-3, 4.07 ERA, 11 APP, 11 GS, 66.0 IP, 66 H, 36 ER, 52 K, 24 BB
UCF:Â Â Â Â Â RHP Chris Williams, So. | 2-3, 2.98 ERA, 18 APP, 7 GS, 48.1 IP, 45 H, 16 ER, 30 K, 11 BB
Sunday
Tulane:Â LHP Sam Bjorngjeld, Jr. | 3-3, 5.06 ERA, 18 APP, 5 GS, 42.2 IP, 44 H, 24 ER, 24 K, 29 BB
UCF:Â Â Â Â Â LHP Joe Sheridan, Fr. | 8-3, 3.21 ERA, 14 APP, 9 GS, 56.0 IP, 59 H, 20 ER, 51 K, 22 BB
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RollWithUs   RollWave
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| TULANE (22-24, 9-6 American) vs. UCF (31-14, 9-6 American) | |
| Time/Date: | Friday-Sunday, May 5-7, 2017 • 6:30 p.m./4 p.m./1 p.m. |
| Location: | Greer Field at Turchin Stadium/New Orleans, La. |
| Radio: | 88.3 FM WRBH/TuneIn Radio app |
| TV: | American Digital Network (Sunday only) |
| Live Stats/Live Video: | www.TulaneGreenWave.com |
| Twitter: | @GreenWaveBSB |
| Instagram: | TulaneBaseball |
| Series: | Tulane leads, 22-17 |
| Tulane Coach: | Travis Jewett (Washington State, '93) • 22-24 (1st year) |
| UCF Coach: | Greg Lovelady (Miami, '01) • 31-14 (first year) |
| Game Notes: | Tulane | UCF |
NEW ORLEANS – Tulane baseball plays host to UCF for a key three-game American Athletic Conference series this weekend at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium. Game times are 6:30 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
Â
The Green Wave (22-24, 9-6 American) and the Knights (31-14, 9-6 American) are two of five teams tied for first place in the American Athletic Conference standings, with three weekends to play. The games will be broadcast on 88.3 FM WRBH, and live video and live stats will be available at www.TulaneGreenWave.com. Sunday's game will be broadcast by the American Digital Network.
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Series History
Tulane and UCF have played 39 times. Tulane leads the series 22-17. The Green Wave won all five meetings last season – three during the regular season in Orlando and two during the conference tournament. Tulane also won two of three in 2013 and 2015 in New Orleans, while UCF won the series in New Orleans in 2012.
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Season Ticket Holder Appreciation
To thank season ticket holders, Tulane Athletics is holding season ticket holder appreciation weekend for this May 5-7 series vs. UCF. Season ticket holders may pick up two additional tickets for a game this weekend, have access to specials at concessions stands, and receive 10 percent off purchases at the Green Wave Team Shop.
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Quick Notes
• Sophomore Grant Witherspoon is on the American Athletic Conference Honor Roll this week after hitting .421 with five RBI and five runs in four games last week. He tallied two hits in each contest, and recorded three RBI and three runs in a 9-6 win over LSU last Tuesday.
• Tulane is 19-12 in its last 31 games after a 3-12 start. The Green Wave has raised its batting average 45 points in the last 31 games.
• Tulane has tallied double-digit hits 16 of the last 30 games, and 18 times overall this season.
• Senior Hunter Williams has played in all 46 games, and he has multiple hits in 22 of them, while Witherspoon has multiple hits in 21 of 46 games.
• Williams leads Tulane with a .349 batting average, 67 hits, 15 doubles, 25 extra base hits, a .578 SLG% and a .400 OBP.
• Senior Jarret DeHart has a team-high 39 RBI and 10 home runs, and Grant Witherspoon leads the Wave with 41 runs scored and nine stolen bases.
• Two players have started all 46 games for the Green Wave this season: sophomore Grant Witherspoon and Williams. Senior Jake Willsey has played in all 46 games with 44 starts, and DeHart has played in and started 44 games.
• Among Tulane's 22 wins, nine have been by one run. Tulane is 9-6 in one-run games. The Green Wave have posted two shutouts (6-0 vs West Virginia and 7-0 vs Columbia).
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Player Trends
• Hunter Williams: In his last 30 games, he has hit .378 with 27 RBI, 28 runs, 20 extra base hits (12 doubles, 7 HR), .654 SLG%, .420 OBP. In his last 75 games, dating back to April 8, 2016, Williams has hit .340 (107-for-315) with 64 RBI, 18 home runs and 25 doubles.
• Lex Kaplan: Since starting the season 1-for-22 (0-for his first 21), he has hit .336 (42-for-125) with 23 RBI, 27 runs, 11 doubles, seven home runs, 22 walks, a .592 SLG% and a .451 OBP.
• Jake Willsey: In his last 16 games, he has hit .327 with nine XBH (4 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR), 9 RBI, 10 runs, 8 BB, .673 SLG% and .408 OBP
• J.P. France: Has made 11 starts, and pitched at least 6.0 innings in 10 of them. In those 10 starts (subtracting a 3.0-inning outing in which he allowed eight runs at UCSB), France has compiled a 3.21 ERA with 50 strikeouts, 20 walks and 25 earned runs in 70.0 innings.
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Hunter Williams Named CoSIDA Academic All-District
Senior first baseman Hunter Williams was selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 6 Team. Williams has carried a 4.0 grade-point average throughout college, and is on track to receive his degree in neuroscience this month, and pursue medical school. The West Monroe, La., native was selected to the American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team in 2015 and 2016, and was awarded a Conference USA Academic Medal in 2014.
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Strength of Schedule
Tulane's schedule ranks No. 25 in the nation, according to the NCAA, while it's RPI sits at No. 81, as of April 26. The Green Wave is 5-2 vs. the RPI Top-25 and 12-7 vs. the RPI Top-50. Tulane's RPI ranking has moved up 188 spots since March 14, when the Wave had a 3-12 record and an RPI of 269. Only two teams have more than Tulane's 13 Top-50 wins – No. 1 Oregon State (15), No. 2 North Carolina (16), No. 3 Kentucky (15) and No. 5 Texas Tech (14).
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Double 'Em Up
Tulane leads The American with 49 double plays turned – 12 more than the next team in the league. That figure ranks fifth in the nation, while Tulane's average of 1.07 double plays per game ranks 11th.
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Pitching Matchups
Friday
Tulane:Â RHP Corey Merrill, Sr. | 6-3, 4.91 ERA, 11 APP, 11 GS, 66.0 IP, 66 H, 36 ER, 51 K, 35 BB
UCF:Â Â Â Â Â RHP Robby Howell, Sr. | 7-0, 3.24 ERA, 11 APP, 11 GS, 66.2 IP, 63 H, 24 ER, 62 K, 26 BB
Saturday
Tulane:Â RHP J.P. France, Jr. | 4-3, 4.07 ERA, 11 APP, 11 GS, 66.0 IP, 66 H, 36 ER, 52 K, 24 BB
UCF:Â Â Â Â Â RHP Chris Williams, So. | 2-3, 2.98 ERA, 18 APP, 7 GS, 48.1 IP, 45 H, 16 ER, 30 K, 11 BB
Sunday
Tulane:Â LHP Sam Bjorngjeld, Jr. | 3-3, 5.06 ERA, 18 APP, 5 GS, 42.2 IP, 44 H, 24 ER, 24 K, 29 BB
UCF:Â Â Â Â Â LHP Joe Sheridan, Fr. | 8-3, 3.21 ERA, 14 APP, 9 GS, 56.0 IP, 59 H, 20 ER, 51 K, 22 BB
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RollWithUs   RollWave
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