ECU eliminates Tulane from AAC Tournament with 8-5 win

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Tulane University baseball 2022 season came to an end with a 5-8 loss to ECU in the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament at BayCare Ballpark.

The Green Wave finishes the year 33-26-1 and 11-13 in conference play.

Back-to-back homers from Bennett Lee and Luis Aviles would spark Tulane’s offense early. With two on the board, Teo Banks would hit one down the left foul line putting himself in scoring position. Brady Hebert would get the RBI single, scoring Banks to put Tulane up 3-0.

Brennan Lambert hit one out of the park in the second frame to give the Wave a 4-0 lead. ECU wouldn’t respond until the bottom of the third with a homer of their own.

The Pirates added three more runs in the fourth, forcing a change at the mound with Dylan Carmouche exiting the game after working 3.1 innings, allowing four hits, four runs and striking out four. Tyler Hoffman got the nod to take over and would work just 0.1 innings.

ECU added four more runs throughout the next three innings, taking a 8-4 lead. Not willing to go quietly, Tulane would load the bases in the ninth looking for a grand slam to force extra innings. It would come up just short, ending the season.

Brian Valigosky gets charged with the loss after throwing 2.0 innings, allowing two hits, three earned runs and striking out four.