Baseball Drops Series Finale to Memphis, 3-2

Sunday, May 13

Greer Field at Turchin Stadium

1 p.m.

Tulane University

24-28, 0

Memphis

17-35, 0

Memphis

Tulane

May 13, 2018 | Baseball

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NEW ORLEANS – Sophomore second baseman Jonathon Artigues drove in two runs and sophomore designated hitter Grant Mathews tallied two hits, but Tulane baseball fell to Memphis, 3-2, in the series finale Sunday afternoon at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium.

Artigues hit an RBI single in the second inning to score freshman catcher Frankie Niemann to tie the game, 1-1, then hit a home run in the fifth inning to tie it at 2-2. Mathews continued his stellar series, tallying a single, double and two walks for the Green Wave (24-28, 9-12 American Athletic Conference).

The Tigers (17-35, 4-17 American) scored runs in the first, fourth and eighth innings, the last on a wild pitch with the bases loaded. Reliever Blake Bennett (3-3) earned the win for Memphis and Will McAffer (0-4) took the loss for Tulane.

"Their pitcher did a pretty good job, but we left twelve guys on base and we had some opportunities," Tulane head coach Travis Jewett said. "I thought even when we gave up the one in that (eighth) inning we were still going to win the game. We're thinking we still have two cracks at this thing, but we just weren't able to muster anything offensively."

Niemann led off the second by lining a single to left field, and with two runners on Artigues drove a base hit through the left side to tie the game at 1-all. Artigues led off the fifth inning with his third home run of the season – an opposite field shot down the right field line.

The Green Wave finished with eight hits and drew eight walks, but left the bases loaded three times and left 12 runners on in the game. Junior center fielder Grant Witherspoon singled in the first inning, junior first baseman Trevor Jensen doubled to start the third inning, sophomore third baseman Kody Hoese and Mathews followed Artigues' homer with singles and Mathews doubled in the seventh.

Memphis scored a run in the first inning on an RBI single by shortstop Alec Trela, and right fielder Colton Neel hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning. In the eighth, a walk, single and a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt loaded the bases before a wild pitch allowed a run to score.

Tulane freshman Josh Bates allowed two runs in 4.1 innings in the start, and senior Sam Bjorngjeld allowed no hits and struck out four in 2.0 scoreless innings. Bjorngjeld entered the game with the bases loaded and no outs in the eighth and struck out the side, but a bounced breaking ball got to the backstop and allowed the run to score.

Tulane plays at Louisiana-Lafayette at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, before closing the regular season at UCF next weekend.

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