CLEARWATER, Florida – Tulane advanced to the semifinals of the 2021 American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship with a 12-2 victory over Wichita State in seven innings Friday evening, May 28 at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla.
Braden Olthoff struck out 10 batters in a complete game performance for the Green Wave (30-23), while Chase Engelhard and Jared Hart combined for six hits and six RBI.
Olthoff (5-3) struck out at least one batter in every inning, allowing six hits and two runs in the victory. Preston Snavely (4-7) took the loss, allowing four runs in 3.1 innings with four strikeouts.
With the win, the Green Wave move on to face South Florida in the second semifinal on Saturday, May 29.
Tulane opened the scoring in the bottom of the first as Engelhard doubled down the left field line to score Jacob Laprairie. The Shockers responded in the top of the second as Corrigan Bartlett hit his seventh home run of the season to left field.
Wichita State took the lead, 2-1, in the top of the fourth on an RBI double by Garrett Kocis, but Tulane struck for four runs in the bottom of the frame, including a 2-run single by Engelhard followed by a Jared Hart single that scored Engelhard.
Tulane then broke open the game with a 7-run fifth inning with a bases-loaded walk, three RBI singles and was capped by an RBI double by Frankie Niemann.
Championship Schedule
Tuesday, May 25 | ESPN+
Game 1: No. 5 UCF 14, No. 4 Cincinnati 10
Game 2: No. 8 Memphis 11, No. 1 East Carolina 1 (7 innings)
Game 3: No. 2 Tulane 4, No. 7 Houston 1
Game 4: No. 6 South Florida 7, No. 3 Wichita State 2
Wednesday, May 26 | ESPN+
Game 5: East Carolina 13, Cincinnati 9 (Cincinnati eliminated)
Game 6: Wichita State 5, Houston 3 (Houston eliminated)
Thursday, May 27 | ESPN+
Game 7: UCF 17, Memphis 1 (7 innings)
Game 8: South Florida 5, Tulane 0
Friday, May 28 | ESPN+
Game 9: East Carolina 12, Memphis 0 (7 innings) (Memphis eliminated)
Game 10: Tulane 12, Wichita State 2 (7 innings) (Wichita State eliminated)
Saturday, May 29 | ESPN+
Game 11: UCF vs. East Carolina | 9 a.m.
Game 12: South Florida vs. Tulane | 47 minutes following Game 11
Game 13 (if necessary): Loser of Game 11 vs. Winner of Game 11 | TBD
Game 14 (if necessary): Loser of Game 12 vs. Winner of Game 12 | TBD
Sunday, May 30 | ESPNews
Game 15: Semifinal winners | Noon
All times Eastern
