The Tulane baseball team lost a close game to the University of Alabama at Birmingham by a score of 5-4 on March 29, with the deciding runs coming in the bottom of the ninth inning at Young Memorial Field.
The loss marks Tulane’s third consecutive road defeat and gives UAB a sweep of the series. The game was decided when Max Price hit a two-run home run for UAB after a leadoff walk, sending the ball just above centerfielder Tanner Chun’s glove.
Kaikea Harrison had given Tulane a lead earlier in the ninth with an RBI grounder that allowed pinch runner Evan Burg to score from second base. Sam Larson took the loss for Tulane, allowing both runs in the ninth without recording an out. Blaise Wilcenski pitched effectively in relief, retiring eleven batters consecutively over 3.2 scoreless innings and striking out two. Starter Jake Toporek went 2.2 innings, giving up two runs and striking out four.
Tye Wood led Tulane offensively with two hits and two RBIs, including his second home run of the season in the sixth inning that briefly put Tulane ahead. Other contributors included Trent Liolios, Brett Rowell—who had an RBI double—and Johnny Elliott who added another RBI on a sacrifice fly.
UAB opened scoring with two runs in the second inning on Kevin Hall’s single up the middle and later tied it again with Alex Dupuy’s solo homer in the eighth before clinching victory with Price’s final-inning homer off Larson. Brendan Conner earned his third win for UAB.
Tulane will return home to face Nicholls on Tuesday evening at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium.
