Privateers Baseball Falls, Tulane Retains First NBC Cup

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NEW ORLEANS – The University of New Orleans baseball team (28-19) kept the game close throughout the night, but could not generate enough base runners as they fell 5-2 to the Tulane Green Wave (32-14) on Tuesday at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium. With the win, the Green Wave retained the First NBC Cup.
 
Tulane got on the board first with a two-run second inning. Hunter Hope scored the first run on an inside-the-park homer to break the ice. Later in the inning, Tulane got a two-out RBI single by Grant Brown who found a hole in left-center to drive in Hunter Williams.
 
The Privateers used seven different pitchers on the night, but the Green Wave got the majority of their offense in the middle innings and held off UNO's rally attempt during the same time period. The Privateers got a run back in the fourth after Hezekiah Randolph doubled with one out and was brought in by a Chaz Boyer RBI single.
 
"I thought our pitching did really well and kept us in the ball game," said Coach Blake Dean. "We didn't get the big hit and that was the separator tonight. We got a few opportunities but we just didn't come through with it tonight."
 
Tulane answered that run back with one of their own in the bottom of the frame when Lex Kaplan homered to left-center field to make it 3-1. The home run marked the 50^th of the season for Tulane who have won 10 of their last 11 games after the victory.
 
The Privateers had one more answer in the fifth based in part on one of three Tulane errors. Ryan Calloway singled to left and advanced to third after a misplay by Grant Witherspoon. The Privateers immediately cashed in on the miscue when Jay Robinson drove in Calloway on an RBI sac fly to cut the deficit to 3-2. Tulane committed a second error in the inning, but was able to get out of the frame with the lead.
 
"I thought we took some better swings off of him (France) than last time but he settled in and got some soft contact," said Dean. "He did a good job of controlling the game and got himself out of there when he did have runners on."
 
The Green Wave got the insurance runs they needed in the bottom of the fifth. After back-to-back walks and a bunt single loaded the bases with no outs, Tulane brought two runs in on fielder's choices to make it 5-2. Starter, J.P. France went seven innings and got out of a two-on, two-out jam in the seventh after Hope covered a ball in the hole and threw over to first to end the Privateers last rally attempt.
 
Corey Merrill came in and nailed down the game for the save. After striking out the side in the eighth, Merrill rolled through the ninth allowing only one base runner when he hit Calloway with the first pitch. Merrill recorded his fifth strikeout to cap off the victory.
 
The Privateers got one multi-hit night from Randolph who went 2-for-4 with a run. The six through nine hitters in the Privateers order combined for four hits, both RBIs, and a run. Jarred Taylor, Zach Wilson, Riley Hodge, and Daniel Martinez each threw scoreless frames for UNO.
 
The Green Wave had nine hits on the night and Witherspoon accounted for three of them. Kaplan had a two-hit night and Hope drove in two runs. Jeremy Montalbano was 0-for-4, but did have an RBI. The win for France moved him to 5-1 on the year.
 
UNO is back in conference play on Friday when they start a three-game series in Hammond against Southeastern. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m.
 
Season tickets for the 2016 campaign are available for as low as $125 and single-game tickets start at $5. For additional information, contact the UNO Athletics Ticket Office at (504) 280-GAME (4263) or click HERE.
 
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