Baseball Stages Thrilling 3-2 Victory Over George Washington

Friday, February 15

New Orleans

6:30 PM

Tulane University

1-0

George Washington

0-1

George Washington

Tulane

Photo by: Parker Waters

Baseball Stages Thrilling 3-2 Victory Over George Washington

Feb 15, 2019 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score

NEW ORLEANS – An out away from sealing the win in the top half of the inning, the Tulane Green Wave opened the 2019 season in thrilling fashion with a 3-2, bottom-of-the-ninth win over the George Washington Colonials Friday at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium.

With the game knotted up at 2-2 heading to the home half of the ninth the Green Wave (1-0) were looking for anything to get the pinch-running Hudson Haskin from second base. That's when redshirt junior Jonathon Artigues forced the Colonial (0-1) shortstop into the team's second error of the game on a high throw, allowing the freshman to come in and allow Tulane to walk-off with the victory on opening night.

"I thought the energy Jonathan brought there was a huge at-bat for us," head coach Travis Jewett said. "Good for us, it was a good start and I obviously think our offense will get going a little bit more tomorrow."

A pitcher's duel for the first three innings of the game gave way in the fourth when Tulane scored first, as senior pitcher Kaleb Roper did all he could on the mound Friday in allowing just four hits in seven innings with five strikeouts and three walks.

In the end, newcomer C.J. Whelan (1-0) earned the win as he came in and retired the only batter he faced in relief of Connor Pellerin in the top of the ninth. Pellerin came on for Justin Campbell and got out of the eighth on one pitch but couldn't close the door in the ninth after allowing the tying run in the next frame.

The Tulane offense scattered its six hits, with David Bedgood and Kobi Owen driving in both runs of the game on RBI singles. Ty Johnson had a hit and two stolen bases, while Kody Hoese and Grant Mathews and Artigues had the other three.

GW's starting pitcher Nate Wood earned the start and allowed two runs, one earned, on two hits with four strikeouts in 6.1 innings of work. His relief pitchers in Emmett Harkins and Keagan McGinnis nearly held firm enough to keep the Colonials alive, but two errors in the game would be their undoing in the end.

After a scoreless three frames to start the game, Tulane took to the fourth and an error on a routine ground ball to fourth allowed Johnson to reach first. He promptly stole second to get the first Green Wave runner into scoring position on the night.

After a ball to Bedgood, the sophomore ripped a single through the right side of the infield and Johnson came in on the slide to put Tulane up 1-0.

George Washington came back in the bottom half of the inning and ripped two consecutive singles to put a pair of runners on to begin the threat. After a strikeout, a sharp single to left loaded the bases. However, Roper locked down and got the next two batters to go down in order to end the threat and keep the Colonials off the board.

After a groundout to open the bottom of the seventh, Trevor Jensen got hit to take first base and put a Green Wave runner on base. GW went to the bullpen for the first time in the frame to replace Woods with Harkin, and on the ensuing at-bat Mathews drew a walk to put two on. A grounder forced out Mathews at second, but Owen stepped up next and ripped a single through the left side to make it a 2-0 score for Tulane.

Campbell came on in the eighth and a triple to right field put a Colonial runner just feet from home plate. A walk put runners at the corners, but the Green Wave turned their third double play of the night as the run crossed the plate to cut the lead to 2-1.

Pellerin got the out in the eighth, and in the ninth after a walk the team turned its fourth double play of the game to put the Colonials on the brink. However, two more walks followed and then a single to tie the game as Whelan came on and got the out to close the inning.

Hoese singled through the left side to open the final frame, but a double play nearly signaled extras for the group. Instead Mathews ripped his double to right with Haskin coming on to run at second base. Artigues hit a hard chopper to short, but the throw was too high for first base and allowed Haskin to cement the win.

Game two of the series is set for a 4:30 p.m. first pitch at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium.

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