Baseball Falls to Purdue, 12-8, Rubber Match Set for Sunday

Saturday, March 10

Greer Field at Turchin Stadium

2 p.m.

Tulane University

7-8

Purdue

9-3

Purdue

Tulane

Photo by: Parker Waters

Baseball Falls to Purdue, 12-8, Rubber Match Set for Sunday

Mar 10, 2018 | Baseball

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NEW ORLEANS – Tulane baseball scored eight runs on 13 hits, but it was not enough as Purdue evened up the weekend series with a 12-8 win Saturday at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium.

The Green Wave (7-8) and Boilermakers (9-3) will play a rubber match at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Each team scored two runs in the first inning as a rain shower fell from the start of the game, and eventually tapered off in the second inning. The Boilermakers then scored three runs in the second, one in the third and five in the sixth to move ahead, 11-2. The Green Wave countered with four runs in the bottom of the sixth and one in the seventh to cut it to 11-7, and each team added a run in the ninth.

Sophomore shortstop Sal Gozzo went 3-for-4 with a walk and three RBI, senior designated hitter Matt Rowland was 3-for-5 with three runs and sophomore second baseman Jonathon Artigues finished 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs. Junior center fielder Grant Witherspoon also tallied a pair of hits and two RBI as the Wave collected 13 hits but had a pair of miscues. Purdue finished with 19 hits and three errors in the game.

"We came right back and tied it in the first and you think it's an eight-inning game, but it just got away from us," Tulane head coach Travis Jewett said. "I thought they played the park well. We had some little controllable things that could have closed the gap and made them play at different depths at times. The unfortunate thing is after such a good performance last night, it would have been nice to follow up with another one."

In the bottom of the first, Artigues walked and junior center fielder Grant Witherspoon doubled to put runners at second and third. Sophomore first baseman Grant Mathews scored Artigues on an RBI groundout to cut it to 2-1. Two batters later as sophomore left fielder Luke Glancy walked, Witherspoon scored when he beat a rundown between third and home when the throw hit him as he moved toward the plate.

Tulane recorded five straight hits in the sixth inning to plate four runs and cut the deficit to 11-6. Rowland doubled and junior catcher Acy Owen singled. Gozzo doubled home Rowland, Artigues doubled home Owen, and Witherspoon drove a single up the middle to score Gozzo and Artigues.

In the seventh, the Green Wave cut it to 11-7 when Rowland singled and moved to second on a throwing error, then scored on Gozzo's base hit through the right side. Rowland again came through with a big leadoff hit in the ninth, doubling down the right field line and moved around to score on Gozzo's ground ball.

Tulane starter Ross Massey (1-2) pitched 1.1 innings and took the loss. He was hit by a batted ball in the second but appeared to be OK and stayed in the game. He was later lifted in the inning for freshman Connor Pellerin, who pitched 3.2 innings and allowed one run and struck out three. Junior Ryan Green was the last of seven Tulane pitchers closed out the game with 2.0 innings of work. Purdue reliever Cameron Williams (2-0) earned the win.

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