Tulane goes into The Jungle and slays the ECU Pirates

Michael Lombardi and friends (Tulane Athletics photo)

By Andrew Riedell

As I was in Baton Rouge covering LSU, the other team I cover for CBC, the Tulane Green Wave continued their AAC road trip this weekend as they traveled to North Carolina to face off with the East Carolina Pirates.

Tulane came into this weekend dropping its last series against top AAC team UTSA, so they understandably looked to bounce back in a big way. ECU, on the other hand, is just having a down year in general, at risk of their seven-year-long AAC regular season title ending if they did not turn it around this weekend. Here is what happened and my takeaways from this weekend:

Friday: Tulane 20 ECU 5 (7 innings)

Yes, that score is correct, and I was impressed the way that Tulane came out with their at bats--very mature and quality, of course. By the time people were settling in their seats, ECU starter Brad Pruett had already given up a two-run single to Matthias Haas that made it 2-0. A Theo Bryant walk made it 3-0, and Kaikea Harrison pushed the lead to 5-0 on a two-run single.

Gavin Schulz and Connor Rasmussen also came through, each with two-run singles of their own to make it 9-0. Next thing you know, Ethan Norby, who came into the season as ECU's Friday night guy, is coming in to pitch. He finished the inning, but it seemed like ECU waved the white flag from there when they took him out after just the 1/3 inning in the 1st. The Green Wave offense exploded for eleven more runs, including home runs from Gavin Schulz, a grand slam from Michael Lombardi, and a Kaikea Harrison solo home run. Luc Fladda was phenomenal on the mound, outside of a slight hiccup in the fifth, throwing a complete game in the run-rule victory.

Saturday: ECU 15 Tulane 5 (8 innings)

East Carolina was set for a bounce-back game and had preserved some of their key pitchers such as Ethan Young and Ethan Norby, both of whom threw for the Pirates on Saturday.

Tulane would strike first again in the first inning, though, as Schulz homered to quickly make it 2-0 Tulane. The Holy Cross product has been heating up for the Green Wave at the perfect time, since every win matters for them now.

ECU answered right back, however, off Tulane starter Trey Cehajic, who allowed a three-run home run to Dixon Williams that gave ECU the lead. Tulane answered to make it 5-3 thanks to a Matthias Haas RBI single, Hugh Pinkney RBI ground out, and Tanner Chun RBI ground out. But, ECU came right back to retake the lead in the bottom of the 4th, and this time, they did not look back, scoring six runs off Tulane's best reliever, Tayler Montiel. Another home run from Dixon Williams was key and brought in three of the six runs. ECU went on to score enough to end the game early on a walk-off run-rule home run by Austin Irby, making Sunday's rubber game ever more important for both teams.

Sunday: Tulane 7 ECU 2

Michael Lombardi got the mound assignment for the Green Wave, and it was the right decision when Coach Jay Uhlman and Pitching Coach Izzio decided to give him his second weekend start this season.

Tulane struck first for the third time. as Connor Rasmussen brought home a run on a sacrifice fly. Hugh Pinkney scored on a pass ball to make it 2-0. Lombardi gave up a solo home run to Jack Herring, but that was all the damage ECU managed. Lombardi was great, going 4 1/3 innings and allowing only three hits, the one run, and striking out five. Carter Benbrook, Will Clements, and Tayler Montiel finished it off for the Green Wave, pitching lights out as well. Chun and Rasmussen each had two-run home runs to extend the lead to seven and the series win for the Green Wave.

Final thoughts:

The Green Wave needed this series badly, since they are now in a three-way tie for 4th in the AAC standings with East Carolina and FAU, next weekend's opponent Uptown. It is a perfect time as well for the Green Wave to come home, having been on the road the last two weeks and going 3-3 vs the top teams in the AAC.

Going on the road to win a series is always very good, and I think Tulane is in win-the-tournament-or-bust mode unless they just win out. I was impressed by both aspects of this Green Wave team this weekend, hitting and pitching both turning in solid performances.

I believe Gavin Schulz is heating up at the right time. We have seen Michael Lombardi continue to be dominant as a starter and reliever, and Luc Fladda has been a solid Friday night guy. I think things are setting up nicely to get hot with two midweeks vs Nicholls and UNO again, then conference finishes vs FAU, at Memphis, and vs Charlotte. I think there is a legitimate chance they will be fighting for a top-four AAC seed for the conference tournament.

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