Tulane holds on to win wild game at Southeastern, 15-14

Dropping not one 💣 , but ✌️ tonight is your #SlapTheWall participant, @Glanceburger.#RollWave 🌊 ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/R9ZXz0DMIR

— Tulane Baseball (@GreenWaveBSB) April 10, 2019

HAMMOND, La. – With the game tied at 9-9, a Kody Hoese three-run blast in the seventh gave Tulane the lead for the second time on the night as the Green Wave held on to defeat the Southeastern Louisiana Lions 15-14 Tuesday night at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field in Hammond.

The Green Wave (22-11) exploded for seven runs in the second inning and got runs in the fourth and fifth, but it wouldn’t be enough early as Southeastern (16-17) kept it close and roared back by using a five-run fifth to level the contest midway through. Fortunately, Tulane’s strong offensive output continued throughout the rest of the night, out-hitting the Lions 19-11 with five home runs as a team, needing all six runs over the course of the seventh and eighth to hold off a late rally by the Lions.

Senior Trevor Jensen matched his career high in hits as he went 4-for-6 with an RBI and two runs scored, as six different Tulane players earned multiple hits in the game. Luke Glancy hit a pair of home runs, as he and Frankie Niemann set new career-best marks with four RBI. Hoese also hit a three-run home run among his three hits Tuesday night.

Earning his first ever career start, sophomore Connor Pellerin pitched 3.2 innings and allowed just one hit, allowing four runs, two earned, matching his career-high for strikeouts with six. In the end, Robert Price (1-0) earned the win allowing just a trio of hits in 2.2 innings.

Southeastern’s Cody Grosse led the Lions at the plate going 2-for-3 with four RBI and a run scored. Bryce Steckler had two doubles among his three hits and three driven in, while Nathan Pilutti drove in two on his two hits with a stolen base and two runs scored.

There would not be a Lion pitcher on the night that didn’t give up a run to Tulane in some form or fashion, as Bryce Tassin (2-2) was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs on three hits in just an inning of work after Southeastern tied the game.

After Southeastern took the lead in the bottom of the first, the Tulane offense went to work in a hurry getting consecutive home runs from Grant Mathews and Glancy from the left side of the plate to make it 2-1 Green Wave. Jonathon Artigues was walked to put one on, as after a strikeout Jensen singled up the middle to put runners at the corners.

With the bases loaded and two outs, David Bedgood dropped a single into the short porch in right to drive in two making it 4-1 Green Wave. Niemann cleared the bases with a towering shot over the fence in right to push the Tulane advantage to 7-1.

Leading by four, Hoese opened the fourth with a single through the right side of the infield to reach, with Hudson Haskin dropping one in left center to put two on for Tulane. After a strikeout, Niemann came through again with a single through the left side to push the lead to 8-3 Green Wave.

Southeastern was able to cut into the lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth, but in the next at-bat for Tulane Artigues drew a walk with one out and moved to second after a sacrifice bunt by Sal Gozzo. Jensen earned his third hit of the night on a single to left to push the Tulane lead to 9-4.

After a scoreless sixth for both sides, Tulane took to the knotted seventh and got a single through the right side to open the inning from Glancy. After consecutive strikeouts, Jensen singled to right to put runners at the corners, with both getting an easy trot home as Hoese cleared the double-decker fence in left field to put Tulane back on top 12-9.

The eighth opened on a scary note as Bedgood was hit in the head on a pitch, but was able to walk off the field under his own power as Collin Burns came in to pinch run at first base in his place. Niemann drew a walk, with Mathews moving the two over after a sacrifice bunt from Gozzo. Glancy skied one over the short fence in right for his second home run of the day to make it 15-9.

The Lions made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth, plating five runs on four hits, but with two outs on the board the SLU runner at first broke for second. But Niemann was there with the throw for the out and end the Lion rally, preserving the Tulane win.

Tulane will be back in action this weekend, hosting the USF Bulls for a three-game series at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium.