Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Tulane
Baseball Falls to Tulane in Conference USA Opener, 4-3
3/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 26, 2010
NEW ORLEANS - The Marshall University baseball team held a two-run lead entering the bottom of the ninth, but Tulane scored three times capped off by a Garrett Cannizaro sacrifice fly to steal a 4-3 victory in the Conference USA opener at Turchin Stadium on Friday night.
Marshall (9-11, 0-1 C-USA) only managed five hits against the Green Wave staff, but made the most of them, collecting three base knocks in the two-run eighth to take a 3-1 lead. Unfortunately the late surge wasn't enough to stave off the Tulane (16-7, 1-0 C-USA) comeback in the ninth.
Herd starter Ian Kadish did not figure in the decision but held the Green Wave bats at bay for most of the night. The righty produced a standout performance on the MU bump firing the first 6.0 frames giving up one earned run on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts and keeping the TU batters off balance.
Kirby Pellant paced the Herd offense with a pair of singles and Victor Gomez knocked in two runs in the loss.
TU's Conrad Flynn was equally effective on the Hill, throwing 7.2 innings giving up three earned runs with five punch outs. Nick Pepitone (4-0) was credited with the victory, recording the final four outs.
Tulane drew the first blood of the game in the bottom half of the second. Brandon Boudreaux reached first after being plunked by Kadish. The Green Wave right fielder would cross home plate on a sac fly off the bat of Brennan Middleton to snap the early scoreless tie.
In the top of the fourth the Herd's Josh Valle led off by lining a base hit to center, the team's first of the evening and moved up two bases thanks to a Flynn balk and wild pitch. Kurt Lipton would later plate Valle to bring the score square at a run apiece.
The Green Wave attempted to answer the Herd's run in the bottom half of the fourth. Matt Ryan laced a one-out single and promptly stole second to be in scoring position. With two outs, Alex Byo smoked a ball down the third-base line, which appeared to be extra bases for sure. Valle made a diving backhand stab and threw out Byo at first from his knees to keep TU off the scoreboard.
Neither squad was able to muster up much of an offensive threat against Kadish or Flynn until the top of the eighth. Entering the inning, MU had only managed two singles, but tallied three base knocks in the two-run inning. Kenny Socorro slapped a base hit through the ride side to the get the thunder rolling for the Herd. After Isaac Ballou flew out to left for the second out of the frame, leadoff hitter Pellant stroked a base hit and Valle drew a walk to end the night for Flynn. V. Gomez connected on the first pitch from TU reliever Pepitone on a single to right to bring around two runs and take the first lead, 3-1.
TU would not go quietly in the bottom of the ninth against Herd closer Austin Coan (0-1). Pinch hitter Adam Zabel got the waters churning with a base hit to start the rally, followed by a Nick Boullosa walk. Both runners advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Blake Crohan. The Herd elected to load the bases by intentionally walking Rob Segedin. Coan would then walk Jeremy Schaffer, to make the score 3-2 and spell the end of the night for the senior right hander.
After Boudreaux lined a RBI single to tie the game off Mike Mason, Cannizaro hit a deep fly ball that easily scored Segedin on a sac fly with the game winner.
The Herd returns to Turchin Stadium to play Tulane tomorrow at 2 p.m. CST.
