Baseball Returns Home to Face No. 12 ECU at Turchin Stadium

Friday, May 4

Greer Field at Turchin Stadium

6:30 p.m.

Tulane University

ECU

Tickets

Photo by: Parker Waters

Baseball Returns Home to Face No. 12 ECU at Turchin Stadium

May 3, 2018 | Baseball

TULANE GREEN WAVE (22-24, 7-8) vs. #12 ECU PIRATES (30-12, 8-7)
When:	Friday, 6:30 p.m. \| Saturday, 2 p.m. \| Sunday, Noon
Where:	Greer Field at Turchin Stadium \| New Orleans, La.
Watch:	Live Video
Radio:	88.3 FM WRBH (Todd Graffagnini) \| TuneIn Radio
Stats:	Live Stats
Tulane Coach:	Travis Jewett (Washington State, '93) • 49-55 (2nd year)
ECU Coach:	Cliff Godwin (ECU, '00) • 140-85-1 (fourth year)
Notes:	Tulane \| ECU
Social:	Twitter \| Instagram \| Facebook

NEW ORLEANS – Tulane baseball returns home for six straight games at the friendly confines of Greer Field at Turchin Stadium, beginning with a three-game American Athletic Conference series against No. 12 ECU this weekend. Game times are 6:30 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday.

The games will be broadcast on 88.3 FM WRBH and the TuneIn Radio app. Live video and live stats will be available through TulaneGreenWave.com.

WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
• Friday is Star Wars Night (May the 4th be with you). Bleacher tickets are available for $5, and live Star Wars characters will be in attendance.
• Saturday is Cinco de Mayo, featuring $5 bleacher tickets and $5 margaritas.
• Sunday is Kids Day: Youth 12 years and under can stand on the field next to Tulane players for the national anthem, and can run the bases after the game and receive a Raising Cane's kids meal voucher.

SERIES HISTORY
Tulane and East Carolina have played 55 times. Tulane leads the series, 31-24. The Pirates won two of three games last season in Greenville, and the Green Wave won two of three in 2016 in New Orleans. The Pirates won each series from 2013-15, while the Wave won series each year from 2003-10. The series dates to 2003 when ECU joined Conference USA.

QUICK HITS
• Tulane opens a six-game homestand this weekend after four straight games on the road.
• This is the end of a seven-game stretch against ranked opponents: three at No. 20 UConn, one at No. 11 Southern Miss, and three at home against No. 12 ECU.
• Tulane's 10-7 win at No. 11 Southern Miss was its highest ranked road victory since a 7-6 win at No. 6 LSU on March 28, 2017.
• Keagan Gillies was named LSWA Louisiana Pitcher of the Week after his complete-game win at UConn on Saturday. He was also listed on American Athletic Conference Honor Roll.
• Gillies' complete game was Tulane's first since 2016, when Ross Massey pitched a three-hit shutout against Cincinnati.
• Tulane's 100 doubles rank ninth in the nation. The 2.17 doubles/game ranks 19th.
• Tulane's 37 double plays rank 59th in the nation.
• Grant Witherspoon ranks 12th in the nation with 18 doubles.
• Kody Hoese has a 12-game hitting streak; Grant Witherspoon has a seven-game hitting streak
• Hoese has reached base in 14 straight games; Jonathon Artigues has reached base in 13 straight games
• Hoese's Last 12 Games: .408 (20-49) with 12 RBI, 16 runs, three doubles, four home runs, six walks
• Artigues' Last 13 Games: .385 (20-52), 17 RBI, 16 runs, eight doubles, home run, three walks, six HBP, three steals
• Trevor Jensen's Last 11 Games: .452 (19-42), eight RBI, 10 runs, three doubles, a triple, three homers, three walks, HBP, .786 SLG%, .489 OBP. Jensen has multiple hits in six of the last seven games.
• Witherspoon's Last 6 Games: .464 (13-28), nine RBI, nine runs, five doubles, three homers, seven walks, three steals. Witherspoon's grand slam on Saturday at UConn was his second of the season and third of his career. His first came at UConn in 2016.
• Witherspoon has multiple hits in 19 games; Hoese has 16, Artigues has 15 and Jensen has 14 multiple hit games. Witherspoon has a team-high eight games with three or more hits; Artigues has two four-hit games and seven games with three or more hits.
• Tulane has produced 93 2-out RBI – 39 percent of its 240 RBI this season have come with two outs.
• Sam Bjorngjeld ranks fourth nationally and leads The American in appearances (27).
• Tulane is averaging 5.8 runs per game and 9.0 hits per game. In 27 home games, the Green Wave average 6.4 runs and 9.6 hits per game. In 19 road games, the Wave average 4.9 runs and 8.3 hits per game.
• Witherspoon leads the team with 13 stolen bases while Artigues has eight, Gozzo has six and Ty Johnson has five stolen bases. The Green Wave are 44-for-53 in stolen bases.

STRENGTH OF A GRUELING SCHEDULE
Tulane has played 29 of its 46 total games against 11 opponents ranked in the top 100 of the RPI, and 20 games against seven opponents in the RPI top 50. The Green Wave are 7-13 against the RPI top 50 and 13-17 against the top 100. The Green Wave schedule includes 33 games against 13 teams that have participated in the NCAA postseason within the last two years. Tulane will play 22 games against nine teams that participated in the NCAA postseason in 2017, including two College World Series participants. The slate also includes 10 opponents – totaling 27 contests – that finished last season in the top 50 of the RPI.

BIG RESPONSE INNINGS
When Tulane's opponent has scored in an inning this season, Tulane has responded with at least one run in its next at bat 51 times. Tulane has responded with multiple runs in its next at bat 28 times. At Home, Tulane has responded to opponent runs by scoring in the bottom half of the inning 31 times. Tulane has responded with multiple runs 21 times.

PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday
Tulane: RHP Kaleb Roper | Jr. | 4-4, 4.86 ERA, 10 APP, 10 GS, 53.2 IP, 45 H, 29 ER, 44 K, 25 BB
ECU: RHP Chris Holba | Jr. | 9-0, 1.48 ERA, 10 APP, 10 GS, 60.2 IP, 56 H, 10 ER, 50 K, 12 BB
Saturday
Tulane: RHP Keagan Gillies | So. | 5-4, 2.71 ERA, 11 APP, 11 GS, 66.1 IP, 49 H, 20 ER, 52 K, 23 BB
ECU: LHP Alec Burleson | Fr. | 2-1, 1.91 ERA, 14 APP, 3 GS, 28.1 IP, 28 H, 6 ER, 39 K, 8 BB
Sunday
Tulane: RHP Josh Bates | Fr. | 2-1, 4.42 ERA, 13 APP, 8 GS, 38.2 IP, 30 H, 19 ER, 30 K, 25 BB
ECU: RHP Tyler Smith | So. | 6-1, 1.86 ERA, 12 APP, 8 GS, 53.1 IP, 42 H, 11 ER, 30 K, 12 BB

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