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May 12, 2007

Final Stats

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HOUSTON, Texas - Senior catcher Ty Wallace went 3-for-4 with a run scored and sophomore centerfielder Aja Barto hit his team-leading fifth home run of the season, but it was not enough as the Tulane University baseball team dropped an 8-3 decision to Conference USA foe Rice Saturday afternoon at Reckling Park.

Tulane out-hit Rice, 10-7, including two-hit performances by sophomore left fielder Nate Simon and sophomore third baseman Seth Henry. The difference in the game, however, was timely hitting and offensive execution as the Owls stole a pair of bases, dropped down three sacrifice bunts and six of their hits were of the RBI variety.

"Rice out-executed us once again," Tulane head coach Rick Jones said. "We out hit them, they made one more error then we did, but their offensive execution was perfect. We missed some opportunities, and that's why you have the result that you have.

"It's also why Rice has the record that they have. They play like a veteran team and they are committed to the things that will allow them to be successful. We didn't do it today, and we haven't done it a lot (this year). There's no question that this is not acceptable."

Tulane erased a 2-1 deficit with a pair of runs in the fifth as Henry scored on a wild pitch from Rice starter Ryne Tacker and Wallace touched the paystation on an RBI-single off the bat of Simon to give the Green Wave a 3-2 lead. The advantage, however, was short lived as the Owls plated three runs in the sixth and another trio in the eighth to put the game away.

With the loss, Tulane falls to 30-22 on the year and 9-14 in C-USA action. Rice, meanwhile, improves to 40-11 overall and 18-2 in league play. The Green Wave did receive a bit of good news following the game as they have now clinched a spot in the C-USA Tournament, which is slated to begin on Wednesday, May 23, at Clark-LeClair Stadium in Greenville, N.C.

Rice wasted little time jumping out to the early lead as shortstop Brian Friday was hit by a pitch to open the bottom of the first, stole second and scored two hitters later on an RBI-double by centerfielder Tyler Henley. First baseman Joe Savery made it a 2-0 ballgame in the ensuing at-bat with a run-scoring single up the middle.

From there, Tulane starter Shooter Hunt settled in and did not allow a hit over his next four and a third innings of work. While Hunt was dealing, his offense gave him some support as Barto cut the deficit in half with a leadoff homer in the third.

After a scoreless fourth, the Green Wave got something going as Henry sparked a two-out rally with a single to center and Wallace followed with a base hit to right that was misplayed by Jared Gayhart to put runners on the corners. Tacker's wild pitch tied the game, and following a balk, Simon laced an RBI-single to right to give Tulane a one-run lead.

Hunt kept Rice off the scoreboard in the fifth, but an inning later, Henley hammered a leadoff homer to right to tie the game at 3-all. Savery and second baseman Jess Buenger followed with a hit and a walk, respectively, and after a sacrifice bunt by designated hitter Aaron Luna, the pair scored on a 4-3 grounder off the bat of third baseman Diego Seastrunk and a wild pitch to stake Rice to a 5-3 advantage.

Rookie southpaw Aaron Loup put the fire out in the sixth and tossed a scoreless seventh, but in the eighth, gave up three runs on three hits and a walk. Savery started the frame with a leadoff walk, and with two away, pinch-hitter J.P. Padron ripped an RBI-double to left. Left fielder Jordan Dodson followed with a run-scoring double that fell just out of the reach of a diving Warren McFadden in right, and backup catcher Danny Lehman hit an RBI-single to left central to account for the final score.

Hunt (6-5) was tagged with the loss after allowing five runs on four hits and three walks while striking out three in 5.2 innings of work. Loup finished the day giving up three runs on three hits and a walk to go with three strikeouts of his own.

Rice reliever Bobby Bramhall (5-2) picked up the win out of the bullpen after scattering four hits and a pair of walks while striking out four in 3.0 scoreless innings. Cole St. Clair, meanwhile, earned his fourth save of the year after giving up a pair of hits and fanning two in 1.1 shutout frames.

"Shooter pitched well enough to win again today, but we didn't give him enough support from an execution standpoint," Jones said. "When you're playing a really good club, everything you do has to be at a high level. We didn't do a good job of moving runners and putting ourselves in position to score, and Rice did. Then they stretched the lead like good clubs do.

"I thought Aaron Loup pitched well also. I thought he should have been out of the inning (in the eight) before he was, and that was through no fault of his own."

Tulane and Rice conclude the weekend on Sunday with first pitch slated for 1 p.m. Following the series finale in Houston, the Green Wave close out the regular season with a three-game series against Chicago State beginning on Thursday, May 17, at Zephyr Field. Tulane and Chicago State will play again on Friday and Saturday, and all three ballgames are scheduled to begin at noon.

For ticket information to next weekend's ballgames, contact the Tulane Athletics ticket office at (504) 861-WAVE. Tickets can also be purchased on the day of the game at the Zephyr Field Ticket Office, which is located on the third-base side of the stadium and opens approximately two hours before first pitch.