Baseball Puts Together Complete Effort in 7-1 Win over Lamar

Tuesday, February 27

Greer Field at Turchin Stadium

6:30 p.m.

Tulane University

4-3

Lamar

3-6

Lamar

Tulane

Photo by: Parker Waters

Baseball Puts Together Complete Effort in 7-1 Win over Lamar

Feb 27, 2018 | Baseball

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NEW ORLEANS – Freshman Josh Bates allowed no hits in five innings and junior center fielder Grant Witherspoon went 4-for-5 to lead Tulane baseball to a 7-1 win over Lamar Tuesday evening at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium.

Bates, a true freshman from Orlando, Fla., made his first career start and set the tone as the Green Wave (4-3) pitching staff one-hit the Cardinals (3-6). Bates (1-0) struck out two and walked two, facing the minimum in three innings. Freshman Connor Pellerin, senior Sam Bjorngjeld, and juniors Ryan Green and Will McAffer followed in succession with effective one-inning stints on the mound.

Witherspoon matched his career high with four hits, drove in a run and scored a run, leading a barrage of 13 hits by Tulane in the ballgame. Junior left fielder Ty Johnson went 3-for-4 with three runs and an RBI, sophomore third baseman Kody Hoese was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored, and sophomore second baseman Jonathon Artigues tallied two hits and scored twice.

"We felt good about (Bates) coming into this one," Tulane head coach Travis Jewett said. "He went out there and more than anything he just grabbed the ball and tacked (catcher) Acy (Owen)'s glove and that's it. We are playing really good ground ball defense. We are covering the ground in the outfield. It should give those guys a lot of confidence to put the ball to the plate, because we have a pretty good chance of catching it. He was composed and showed some emotion in a good way. I am glad that his hard work showed up for tonight."

The Green Wave scored single runs in the third, fifth, sixth and seventh innings before tacking on three runs in the eighth. Lamar's lone run came on a balk in the eighth inning, and its lone hit was an infield single in the sixth.

Tulane pitchers tallied eight strikeouts, including two each by Bates and Pellerin and one by Green. McAffer struck out the side on 14 pitches in the ninth.

After leaving two runners on base in each of the first two innings, Tulane pushed a run across in the third when Ty Johnson and Rowland walked, and Johnson scored from third on an errant pickoff throw

The Green Wave strung together four singles in the fifth inning, the last one by Hoese resulting in a run for Johnson. Artigues led off the sixth with a double to left center and scored on Witherspoon's triple to deep right center. In the seventh, Hoese was hit by a pitch and moved around to score on junior right fielder Tyler Heinrichs' infield base hit.

It was the three-run eighth inning that created separation for Tulane. Leading 4-1, Artigues, Witherspoon and Johnson hit three consecutive singles to plate a run. Junior first baseman Trevor Jensen hit a sacrifice fly to score Witherspoon and Hoese doubled home Johnson to extend the lead to 7-1.

Lamar starter Jason Blanchard (0-1) allowed one unearned run on two hits in 3.2 innings and took the loss.

"I give their starter a lot of credit. He came out and he was good," Jewett said. "His fast ball was sneaky, and he could throw it to both sides of the plate. He had a good curve ball. The kids' composure and their ability to stay in the moment – when you can do that and stay in the now you have some opportunities to prove yourself. The guys came through when we needed them."

Tulane and Lamar face off again at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium. Tickets are available at TulaneTix.com, at the Tulane Athletics Ticket Office in the James W. Wilson Jr. Center or by calling 504-861-WAVE.

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