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Comeback Falls Short As Baseball Drops 8-6 Decision At Charlotte
April 4, 2003 KANNAPOLIS, N.C. - Tulane scored four runs in the final six innings and brought the go-ahead run to the plate with one out in the ninth, but the Green Wave baseball team fell short as host Charlotte took an 8-6 decision Friday afternoon in Conference USA action at Fieldcrest-Cannon Stadium. The 49ers jumped out to an 8-2 lead after four courtesy of a pair of home runs by designated hitter Brad Erwin and a solo shot by catcher Brad Poplin. Sophomore reliever Ricky Fairchild came on in the fourth for the Green Wave and gave up just two hits and no walks in 3.1 scoreless innings which allowed Tulane to mount a comeback. The Green Wave scored single runs in the fifth and eighth innings, added a pair of runs in the seventh, and had runners on the corners in the top of the ninth, but Charlotte reliever Mark Ferguson got a fly out and a groundout to thwart the rally and earn his second save of the season. With the loss, Tulane falls to 21-10 on the year and 5-5 in C-USA play. Charlotte, meanwhile, improves to 12-13 overall and 4-5 in league action. With one away in the ninth, senior centerfielder ripped a single into center and freshman left fielder Nathan Southard drew a walk to chase Charlotte starter Zachary Treadway from the game. Michael Aubrey represented the go-ahead run and gave Ferguson's first offering a ride to right field, but 49er outfielder Nick Blackmon was able to make the catch at the warning track. Aubrey's fly out allowed Kaplan to advance to third, but with two away, Ferguson got junior shortstop Tony Giarratano to hit a come-backer to the mound to seal the Charlotte victory.
Tulane began its comeback bid in the fifth as rookie right fielder Brian Bogusevic led off the frame with a single, advanced to second on an errant pickoff throw, took third on a single by Kaplan and scored on a sacrifice bunt by Southard.
Following a scoreless sixth, the Green Wave cut the lead to three when Southard ripped an RBI-double to left to plate Bogusevic from second, and Aubrey lifted a popup to second that Kaplan was able to score on from third to make it 8-5. One inning later, senior designated hitter Aaron Feldman hit a leadoff home run to dead center to cut the lead to two, but that was as close as the Green Wave would get. Treadway retired the next three batters in order to get out of the inning before giving way to Ferguson in the ninth. Treadway earn the victory to improve to 4-2 after giving up six runs - five earned - on nine hits while walking three and striking out seven in 8.1 innings of work. Tulane starter Matt Goebel was not as fortunate as the freshman right-hander got roughed up with five runs on four hits in 2.2 innings. Fellow freshman Brandon Gomes did not fare much better, giving up three runs on three hits in 1.0 inning of relief before giving way to Fairchild. After allowing a single to leadoff the eighth, Fairchild was lifted for junior preseason All-Conference USA reliever Joey Charron, and the southpaw pitched well with a pick-off and a pair of strikeouts in his lone inning of work. Tulane and Charlotte continue conference play on Saturday with an 11 a.m. start and close out the weekend on Sunday with first pitch again slated for 11 a.m. |
 
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