Wichita State edges Tulane to complete weekend sweep

WICHITA, Ks. – The Tulane University baseball team came up just shy of salvaging a game in the series as it dropped the finale against Wichita State 4-3 Sunday afternoon.

The Green Wave put at least one runner on in each of the first six innings but saw the offense stall in the final three frames.

After replacing starter Chandler Welch (4-3), freshman Michael Massey stepped up in relief tossing 5.1 scoreless innings. The Suwanee, Georgia, product allowed just three hits while striking out five. Welch surrendered four runs on three hits in 1.2 innings his fifth start of the season.

Tulane used the long ball to produce all three of its runs in the contest. Trevor Minder and Jackson Linn each put one over the outfield wall to account for the Green Wave scoring column. Minder led the Wave with a pair of runs driven in while Linn produced one RBI.

Wichita State got on the scoreboard first with one run in the bottom of the first inning against Welch. The freshman right-hander limited any more damage in the frame by stranding a pair of runners on base.

Welch faced more trouble in the bottom of the second inning and was unable to finish the frame as the Shockers plated three more runs. Tulane called on Massey out of the bullpen after one run had scored in the inning and Wichita State had the bases loaded. A single against Massey brought in the final two runs of the frame, but Tulane threw out a runner at third to end the inning.

Freshman Teo Banks worked a leadoff walk in the top of the third to set the table for a two-run blast off the bat of Minder to put the Green Wave on the board. The long ball by Minder was his fifth of the season and pushed across his 26th and 27th RBIs.

Massey found his groove on the bump over the next five frames allowing three hitters to reach base while holding the Shockers scoreless.

The Wave pulled within a run in the top of the sixth inning when Linn launched his seventh home run of the year on a one-out solo shot to center field off the Wichita State closer.

Tulane was unable to find any more success at the plate over the final three frames against the Shockers closer. The Green Wave went down in order in each of the last three frames ultimately falling by one run in the series finale, 4-3.

Payton Tolle (4-6) earned the win for the Shockers allowing two runs on five hits across five innings pitched. Connor Holden (6) picked up the save after tossing four innings and giving up one run on one hit.

UP NEXT
Tulane will return to New Orleans for the final series of the regular season. The Green Wave will host Memphis Thursday-Sunday, May 19-21, at Greer Field inside Turchin Stadium. First pitch for the series opener is set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday.