Baseball Claims Series With 7-6 Walk Off Finish Against George Washington

Saturday, February 16

New Orleans

4:30 PM

Tulane University

2-0

George Washington

0-2

George Washington

Tulane

Baseball Claims Series With 7-6 Walk Off Finish Against George Washington

Feb 16, 2019 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score

NEW ORLEANS – A day after opening the 2019 in thrilling walk-off fashion, the Tulane Green Wave baseball team got a gem of a performance from true freshman righty Krishna Raj into extra innings that helped set the stage for a Grant Mathews sacrifice fly RBI in the bottom of the 13^th inning to defeat George Washington 7-6 Saturday night and claim the series.

In another wild affair between the two sides, the Green Wave (2-0) pounded out 13 hits and battled back twice in the game to tie the score at 4-4 in the fifth and 6-6 in the ninth to send the game to extra innings after falling behind early. Five of the squad's hits were for extra bases, including two doubles and three home runs.

"I'm proud of the kids, because they are learning how to find different ways to win," head coach Travis Jewett said.

With his team down by two runs, Raj (1-0) entered the game in the eighth inning looking to Tulane in the game. In the end the Wellington, Florida, native went six innings and allowed just one hit while striking out six and walking two in earning the victory.

"I just went out there with as much confidence as possible that I knew my team had my back," Raj said. "I was just doing whatever I could to help the team and I'm happy that we were able to come out with the win."

The bulk of the Green Wave offensive production came from the top of the order, as David Bedgood, Kody Hoese and Trevor Jensen combined for eight hits in the contest. Bedgood went 3-for-6 with a double and inside the park home run, driving in two and scoring three times, while Hoese was 3-for-5 with a home run, three RBIs and a run scored.

Over the course of the game, the Colonials (0-2) had multiple opportunities to find the insurance run to put enough distance between them and the Green Wave, but by the end of the night stranded 15 runners on base through the 13-inning contest. GW couldn't find ways to use the four Tulane errors on the night in their favor, and by the end the lone Colonial error in the 13 to keep the inning alive resulted in the walk off opportunity for Mathews.

George Washington used five pitchers in the game, as Trevor Kuncl (0-1) suffered the loss after giving up the winning run unearned when he entered in the 13^th. It spoiled the 3.2 innings by Rich Pfluger who pitched 3.2 hitless innings for the Colonials, as while he walked four and struck out one the Green Wave were never able to get anything past the lefty.

Keagan Gillies earned the start for Tulane and pitched four innings allowing four runs on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Brendan Cellucci pitched an inning of relief and struck out one and walked one, while Robert Price lasted 1.1 innings in allowing two runs on four hits. Ryan Green was the other pitcher used as he struck out one and walked one in 0.2 innings.

It was a tough opening inning for the Green Wave as the Colonials were down to their final out before a walk kept the bats alive for George Washington. After the runner stole second, GW got a single, double and triple en route to a three-run frame to take the early lead.

Undeterred, the Wave opened their offensive day with a double from Bedgood down the right field line. On the first pitch of his at-bat, Hoese lifted one over the fence in left for the first homer of the season to pull Tulane within one.

A walk to the first batter in the top of the fourth inning put a GW runner on base, but a fly out to left and strikeout put two outs on the board in quick order. However, a triple to right center plated the run to extend the Colonial lead to 4-2.

Freshman Aaron McKeithan earned his first collegiate hit in the fifth as he singled through the right side to reach first, advancing to second on a wild pitch. After an out, Bedgood battled through a host of pitches before lifting one into the New Orleans sky, confusing the GW outfielders as it dropped in right allowing both McKeithan and Bedgood to score on the inside-the-park home run.

After working out of a jam in the previous inning, Price found himself in trouble again in the seventh as a walk and a double put runners at second and third. A single to left brought in GW's fifth run of the game, and after a strikeout a fielder's choice allowed another run to score to make it 6-4 Colonials and ending Price's day.

With two outs on board in the eighth, Kobi Owen belted the team's third home run of the day on a no-doubter to left field to pull Tulane back within one of George Washington at 6-5.

After George Washington stranded another runner in the top half of the ninth, Luke Glancy entered and immediately ripped a double to right to open the bottom of the inning. Hudson Haskin came in to pinch run and after a strikeout Hoese singled up the middle to score the freshman to tie the game at 6-6.

Trevor Jensen would single to put two on and end the day for Pat Knight, as the new pitcher would get the next two outs to end the inning and send the game to extra innings.

With an out in the 13^th, Bedgood legged out a single to deep second base. After that the wheels finally fell off for the visitors as Hoese reached on a fielder's choice after a popup was misplayed and resulted in a fielding error that allowed Bedgood to reach second after being held up between bases.

Jensen was hit by a pitch to load the bases, as Mathews hit a deep enough fly to allow Bedgood to slide into home plate giving Tulane the victory.

First pitch for the series finale is set for 1 p.m. Sunday at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium.

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