Tuft’s blast sends Tulane to AAC semifinals

NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT ONE! WOWWW💪

Tulane takes the lead!🌊🌊#AmericanBSB x @GreenWaveBSB pic.twitter.com/YDkOJf9GMk

— The American (@American_Conf) May 24, 2024

CLEARWATER, FL – Tulane catcher Colin Tuft drilled a two-run shot deep to left in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the third-seeded Green Wave to a 7-5 victory over seventh-seeded Charlotte on Thursday at the 2024 AAC Tournament at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater.

The win vaulted the Olive and Blue (33-24) to the tournament semifinal round on Saturday where it will face the winner of Friday’s elimination contest between the 49ers (24-33) and sixth-seeded Florida Atlantic (27-28). Tulane will play that game at approximately 12:45 p.m. ET/11:45 a.m. CT (or 47 minutes following the conclusion of the game between fourth-seeded Wichita State (31-27) and the winner of Friday’s other elimination game, pitting top-seeded East Carolina (41-14) and eighth-seeded Rice (23-35).

Green Wave center field Teo Banks continued his torrid pace offensively, going 3-for-3 with three runs scored. He also belted his 14th homer (third inning) to go with his 15th (first inning) and 16th (seventh inning) doubles of the season. Both totals are team-highs. He also had an eye-popping nine putouts in the outfield during the game.

Charlotte left fielder Carson Bayne and designated hitter Thad Ector collected two hits apiece. The 49ers had two triples in the game, one by Bayne in the first inning and again by center fielder Reid Haire in the sixth.

The latter hit gave the 49ers a 5-2 lead before Tulane erased it with a three-spot of its own in the bottom half of the frame. It received doubles by first baseman Brady Marget and right fielder Matthias Haas, sandwiched around an RBI groundout by third baseman Gavin Schulz.

Green Wave reliever Carter Benbrook (3-1) was perfect in the eighth and ninth innings, recording two strikeouts. Charlotte reliever Joseph Taylor (3-5) suffered the defeat as he gave up the Tuft blast. Both of those runs were unearned due to Tulane designated hitter Michael Lombardi reaching on a throwing error by 49ers third baseman Brandon Stahlman.

NOTE: Banks is hitting .511 (24-for-47) in his 11 career AAC Tournament games.

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