NEW ORLEANS – Beau Ankeney blasted a first inning homer, Devan Ornelas enthralled the crowd with a near inside-the-parker,
James Bose made an unbelievable jumping grab at shortstop and the LMU baseball team defeated Tulane 12-4 on Friday afternoon in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Ankeney continued his hot start to the season with a no-doubt homer in the first inning that easily cleared the scoreboard. Ghiorso reached after being hit by a pitch and Colby Wallace blooped a single into shallow center to set the stage for Ankeney. The junior blasted a 3-2 pitch over the left-center field wall to give the Lions a lead in the top of the first.
Ankeney came up again with a clutch hit in the third inning. Ghiorso singled and stole second before Ankeney laced a liner over the shortstop's head. Ghirso scored without a throw to extend the lead.
Zion Williams followed with a fly ball to right field that was dropped by the right fielder to put runners on first and second. Ornelas followed with a drive off the wall in center field. The ball bounced back past the center fielder and then both the center and right fielders had trouble handling the ball allowing Devan to extend the triple and score on the mishandling. The Lions led 7-0 after three innings of play.
KenjI Pallares got the start on the hill for the Lions. The right hander threw five innings, allowing three runs and striking out six. He left the game with a 7-3 lead and turned the ball over to
Michael Nunez. Nunez threw 1.2 innings and struck out a pair while allowing one run.
Jake Geis came in and got a pair of outs, including an important out in the bottom of the seventh with a runner on second.
Cole Stucky earned his second save of the season after coming into the game with one out in the eighth and the bases loaded and getting out of the jam unscathed. The team held their collective breath as Tulane's Connor Rasmussen hit a liner destined for the gap. Bose leapt into the air and snagged the liner made a quick turn and doubled off the runner at first to end the threat.
The Lions followed that defensive gem with a four-spot in the top of the ninth.
Ornelas stepped up to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded and drove a 1-2 pitch the other way over the left fielder's head. Williams, Wallace and
Cam Hassert all came around to score with Ornelas ending up on second base for a double.
JD Dunn stepped up one batter later and dropped a single into center field to plate Ornelas from second easily.
The schedule for the final two games of the series against the Green Wave have been changed. Saturday's game will now be played at 1:00 p.m. (CT) and be the front end of a double header with Sunday's game being moved to the tail end, immediately following the first game. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
