The Green Wave fell short in a ninth-inning rally, ultimately dropping its third midweek game of the season.
After a strong first inning of offense, the Tulane Green Wave couldn't get things done on the baseball diamond, ultimately falling to the Nicholls State Colonels by a score of 6-5 on Tuesday night.
The game marked the third midweek loss of the season for Tulane, and two of those losses have come to in-state Southland Conference schools. While it's normal for even the top college baseball teams in the nation to drop midweek contests from time to time, it's a troubling trend for the Green Wave to start the year.
Tulane struck quickly with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, courtesy of a Jason Wachs single up the middle that drove in Kaikea Harrison and Tye Wood. The team chased Nicholls starting pitcher Shaydon Benson out of the game quickly, but reliever Peyton Lacy proved to be a tough test for the Green Wave. Lacy gave up one run with no hits or walks while striking out four across 3.2 innings of action.
Meanwhile, the Colonels got themselves back into the contest in the third inning. A successful double steal of second base and home gave Nicholls its first run of the game, and that was quickly followed by an RBI single from Nico Rijo-Berger. Tulane starting pitcher Jake Toporek left the mound after just 2.1 innings of action, striking out three batters on the night while giving up three hits and two runs -- neither of which were earned.
Strong reliever JD Rodriguez entered the game in relief of Toporek, but even he struggled some in the matchup. The Colonels took the first lead of the game in the fourth inning with a solo homer by Hudson Mattox, quickly putting the visiting Sluggerbirds in a bit of a bind.
Down but not out, Tulane's Harrison stepped up to the plate in the top of the fifth inning and did what he does best -- bring in runs. A three-run moonshot from the standout shortstop drove in Johnny Elliott and Bryson Ayala and gave the visiting squad the 5-3 advantage. While the team celebrated in the moment, it would be short-lived.
Nicholls' Caston Thompson shot a solo home run into right field in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut his team's deficit to one. He'd play hero again in the seventh inning, with the go-ahead two-run homer to put the Colonels ahead 6-5.
Meanwhile, Tulane's offense became stagnant thanks to the efforts of Nicholls pitchers Cole Simoneaux, Dalton Hill and Joseph Bordelon. The trio combined for eight strikeouts and gave up no hits or runs. Tulane did manage to put a pair on base in the top of the ninth thanks to a hit batter and a walk, but a pair of strikeouts in the critical situation and a fly out to end the game killed any momentum.
Up next, the Green Wave will play its toughest weekend series of the year so far as it travels to take on a ranked TCU Horned Frogs Program. First pitch in Friday's game one is set for 6 p.m. CT.