The Green Wave posted its second-straight run-rule victory following a 15-5 taming of the Tigers.
The Tulane Green Wave cruised to a seven-inning run-rule victory over the Grambling State Tigers on Wednesday night, claiming the contest by a score of 15-5.
With the win, the Sluggerbirds have now won five of their last six outings -- a welcome sight following some struggles earlier this month.
Jack Brafa earned the win on the mound for the home team, improving to a 3-0 record on the year. The starting pitcher threw 2.0 scoreless innings and gave up one unearned run on two hits with one strikeout.
Nate Johnson led the offensive charge, going 2-for-3 at the dish with six RBI and one run scored, while Trent Liolios had four RBI. Tye Wood had two RBI and drew four walks. As a whole, the team had nine hits but was walked 16 times.
The offense stayed hot following the team's most recent run-rule win over the Memphis Tigers in the first weekend of American Conference play. Tulane loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning following a leadoff single, walk and hit batter. Wood drew the bases-loaded walk to bring home the first run of the day, and Johnson did much of the same in the following at-bat to put another run on the board. An infield single by Liolios pushed the score to 3-0 through the first inning of action.
Grambling put one unearned run on the board in the second inning, but the home team responded with another bases-loaded walk by Wood to push the lead to 4-1.
Two more runs made their way across home plate for the Green Wave in the third inning: Jack Johnson scored on a wild pitch, and Jason Wachs singled to center field to drive home Kaikea Harrison. However, the Tigers were able to cut the deficit in half in the top of the fourth inning with a two-run frame to make it a 6-3 game.
That's where the Sluggerbirds decided to put things away for good. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Johnson once again stepped up in a major way with a soaring grand slam to deep right field to give his team the 10-3 lead.
Grambling plated a pair in the sixth on a double, but by the time the bottom of the seventh inning rolled around, the Green Wave was ready to end things early. Johnson added his sixth RBI of the day on a single, while Liolios left the yard with a three-run homer. One final RBI single from Harrison gave the Uptown boys the 15-5 lead and ended the game.
Tulane will look to carry this momentum into its first American Conference road series of the season. The Green Wave will head to Birmingham to take on the UAB Blazers for a three-game series beginning Friday night. First pitch for game one of the series is set for 5 p.m.