Sophomore Chris Lane led his team with 2 RBI. |
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Comeback Bid Falls Short as No. 2 Tulane Closes out Charlotte, 6-5
April 9, 2005
Charlotte, N.C. - The Charlotte 49ers put two men aboard in the bottom of the ninth, but could not push the tying run across, as No. 2 Tulane closed out a 6-5 Conference USA decision on Saturday at Tom & Lib Phillips Field.
Leading off the ninth for Charlotte (20-11, 5-6 C-USA), freshman Stephen Harris drove a pinch hit single past third base for his first collegiate hit, giving the season-best crowd of 717 at Phillips Field reason to be excited. Freshman designated hitter John Stallings executed a sacrifice bunt, which put junior shortstop Mike Ambrose at the plate with one out and pinch runner Grant Hafer in scoring position. Ambrose struck out swinging for the second out, which brought up senior Adam Willard.
But Willard, who leads the team with a .356 average and singled in the third inning, would not get an opportunity to plate the tying run as he was hit by the 2-0 offering from Tulane's Sean Morgan. Sophomore Kris Rochelle, who leads the team in home runs and RBI, popped out to the second baseman to end the game.
Charlotte head coach Loren Hibbs was not consoled by battling the nation's No. 2 team to a one-run decision. "We've improved to the point where we have chances to win games like that, games played at a very, very high level. But I'm never going to be happy when we lose, not even if its the New York Yankees out there. We just have to find a way to win. We'll keep working and keep getting better, and find a way to get that run."
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Saturday's game was a drastic change from the series opener held the previous night, when Tulane shut out Charlotte 13-0 and the Niners managed just five hits.
Tulane (28-5, 9-2 C-USA) got its fifth save from Morgan, as the freshman finished the final two innings and allowed only the single to Harris and the HBP against Willard. Micah Owings, who pitched eight shutout innings on Friday night, collected the eventual game-winning RBI when he broke open a 3-3 ballgame with a two-run homer in the fourth.
Charlotte got two timely runs in the bottom of the seventh to put themselves within striking distance. Sophomore second baseman Cory Lane tripled for the second time in the game, again hitting a ball to the base of the outfield wall under the scoreboard in right center. His twin brother, Chris Lane, drove an 0-1 pitch up the middle to make it a 6-4 game.
That hit chased Green Wave starter Ryan Gomes, bringing on Daniel Latham. Freshman Alex Bryant executed a sacrifice bunt to move Lane to second, before Stallings popped out. Ambrose, who had two of the Niners five hits on Friday, doubled to left field to cut the lead to 6-5.
Both teams had opportunities to score in the eighth inning, which has been their forte this season. Each club has outscored its opponent by the widest margin of any inning in the eighth this season.
With one out in the eighth, 49er starter Derek McDaid gave up a single and a double to bring on closer Erik Walker. He walked the No. 9 hitter, Greg Dini to load the bases, before settling in to get out of the jam. Walker got Owings to ground weakly back to the mound and force out at home, and then struck out Friday night's hero Brad Eamus to strand all three runners.
In the Niner half of the eighth, Rochelle led off with a single to right field to chase Latham and bring Morgan into the game. He issued a walk to Spencer Steedley, and O'Brien Taylor was inserted to pinch hit for Chris Taylor. But O'Brien's attempt at a sacrifice bunt was too far down the left base line and Rochelle was out at third. Cory Lane flew out to center to move Steedley to third, but brother Chris Lane grounded out to third to end the inning.
Cory Lane had two triples in the game, marking the first time since April 4, 1999 that a Niner hitter has achieved that feat. Charlotte now has 19 triples this season, which is tied for fourth-most in school history. Chris Lane finished with a team-best two RBI, executing a squeeze bunt in the second inning. Rochelle and Stallings each finished with a pair of hits.
The series finale on Sunday is scheduled for 1:00 p.m., and will be carried live on C-SET (Carolinas Sports Entertainment Television) throughout the Carolinas.
