Feb. 15, 2002
Box Score
NEW ORLEANS, LA. - In the 2002 season opener for the Villanova baseball team on Friday, Feb. 15, at Turchin Field, the Wildcats fell to the No. 6 ranked Tulane Green Wave by the score of 11-1. The Wildcats drop to 0-1 with the loss, while the Wave evened their record up at 2-2.
Tulane took an early lead, scoring two runs on three hits in the bottom of the first inning. Jon Kaplan singled to center to lead off the inning, stole second, and advanced to third on a ground out to first base by Anthony Giarratano. The Wave scored their first run on a triple to right center by James Jurries that was just out of the reach of freshman rightfielder Alan Day. Michael Aubrey followed with a single to right to score Jurries and increase the Tulane advantage to 2-0.
Villanova starter John Yeager settled down after the first inning, keeping the Green Wave off guard over the next two innings by mixing in an outstanding changeup.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Green Wave offense awoke. Aubrey led off the inning with a solo home run over the right-centerfield wall to make it a 2-0 game. With the bases loaded and no outs after a Wildcat error, an infield single by Gerald Clark and a hit batter, Tulane's Tommy Manzella came to the plate and hit a line-drive single just over the glove of Villanova shortstop Brian Trotta. Manzella's single plated two more runs to give the Wave a 5-0 lead.
Two innings later, Tulane added to its lead with three unearned runs. Jurries' two-run single highlighted the inning for the Green Wave and to give them an 8-0 lead after six innings. Tulane added three more in the top of the eighth inning to go up by an 11-0 margin. Villanova finally got on the scoreboard in the ninth as Ryan Crammer scored on a passed ball, but it was much too late as Green Wave took an 11-1 victory.
Starter Beau Richardson got the win on the mound for Tulane to improve to 1-0. Richardson pitched eight strong innings of shutout baseball, allowing just three hits and three walks, while striking out eight.
Villanova starter John Yeager took the loss for the `Cats to fall to 0-1. Yeager gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits in three and one-third innings, striking out three. Sophomore righty Dan Farino came on and pitched two and one-third strong innings of relief, allowing three unearned runs on no hits and just one walk.
At the plate for the Wildcats, Brendan Mannix, Mike Duncan and Greg Fater accounted for all three Villanova hits.
On offense for Tulane, Aubrey went three-for-five with a home run and two RBI. Jurries went two-for-four with a triple and three RBI.
These two teams will square off in game two tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. EST., at Turchin Field.
