Tulane baseball drops series opener at UConn, 6-2

HARTFORD, Conn. – Junior first baseman Trevor Jensen went 3-for-4 with an RBI single, but Tulane baseball fell at No. 20 UConn, 6-2, in its American Athletic Conference series opener on a cool and rainy Friday evening at Dunkin’ Donuts Park.

Jensen’s RBI single scored a run in the fourth and the Green Wave (20-23, 6-7 American) added a run in the seventh. The Huskies (24-12-1, 8-5 American) scored three runs in the first and added single runs in the third, fifth and eighth.

Jensen and sophomore second baseman Jonathon Artigues accounted for five of the team’s eight hits, as the Green Wave created opportunities to close the gap, particularly in the late innings. Tulane left the bases loaded in the seventh after Artigues’ run scoring single, then again in the eighth inning. In the ninth, junior center fielder Grant Witherspoon and Artigues hit consecutive singles to start the inning, but the Wave was unable to push any more runs across the plate.

UConn starter Mason Feole (6-1) went 6.1 innings and struck out nine and allowed four hits and five walks in the win. Junior Kaleb Roper (4-4) struck out four and allowed no walk and four earned runs in 6.0 innings in the loss.

“UConn got off to a quick start,” Tulane head coach Travis Jewett said. “We hung in there and had some situations where we could get right back into it. It was good to see Roper back out there. He battled and kept us in there. After that first inning he kind of settled in and gave us a chance. It just wasn’t our night.”

Jensen drove a single to center field in the top of the fourth to score sophomore third baseman Kody Hoese from second base to make the score 4-1. With the bases loaded in the seventh, Artigues lined a single to right field to plate junior catcher Acy Owen, who started the inning by reaching on an error.

UConn scored three runs in the first inning on a two-run triple by catcher Zac Susi and a wild pitch that scored Zusi. Right fielder Isaac Feldstein hit a solo home run in the third to make it 4-0, and shortstop Anthony Prato scored on a fielder’s choice in the fifth to extend the lead to 5-1. Second baseman Michael Woodworth’s solo home run in the eighth made the score 6-2.

Tulane and UConn will play the second game of the series in Hartford again Saturday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. CT. The game can be seen on ESPN3.com or heard on 88.3 FM WRBH in New Orleans or via TuneIn Radio.

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UConn 6, Tulane 2 (Apr 27, 2018 at Hartford, Conn.)
———————————————————————-
Tulane………….. 000 100 100 – 2 8 0 (20-23, 6-7)
UCONN…………… 301 010 01X – 6 11 1 (24-12-1, 8-5)
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Pitchers: Tulane – ROPER, Kaleb; BJORNGJELD, Sam(7); McAFFER, Will(7) and OWEN, Acy. UCONN –
FEOLE; WALLACE(7); POULIN(8) and SUSI.
Win-FEOLE(6-1) Save-POULIN(11) Loss-ROPER, Kaleb(4-4) T-3:00 A-2078
HR UCONN – FELDSTEIN (11); WOODWORTH (2).
Weather: Husky Weather, cool and rainy