I really like Tulane's chances today.
ECU probably will start Evan Kruczynski, who has given up 25 earned runs in his last 38 innings covering seven starts and was torched by UConn and Houston earlier this month. He has not had a good game since going the distance and allowing one run against Memphis on March 28, and he gives up a ton of hits. The Pirates could opt for David Lucroy, who has excellent stats overall but was removed from the weekend rotation after giving up 11 runs in 17 2/3 innings covering four starts, including giving up six hits and four runs to Tulane in 2 1/3 innings of a loss.
The Pirates have won nine consecutive one-run games, including six in a span of eight days in April, but they have thrown in some clunkers. Their last six losses have come by an average of eight runs.
If Corey Merrill rebounds from a couple of shaky outings, Tulane can win this one going away. And even if it's close, streaks are made to be broken and the Wave has a winning feel about it right now. Get by today, and Tulane would be in terrific shape to reach the championship game with its hottest starter, Alex Massey, going against an opponent playing its fourth game on Saturday.
By the way, David Pierce can reach uncharted territory as a head coach today if Tulane wins. In his three years as coach at Sam Houston State, he never went 2-0 in the Southland tournament. His team lost its first game in 2012, then won two straight before being eliminated. In 2013 and 2014 he won the opener, then lost two straight. He told me recently he thought his players relaxed a bit in the Southland tournaments because they felt secure about getting an at-large bid. That's not the case with Tulane, where he told the players they had secured nothing after yesterday's win. Whether it's true or not is debatable, but they appeared to believe his message.
ECU probably will start Evan Kruczynski, who has given up 25 earned runs in his last 38 innings covering seven starts and was torched by UConn and Houston earlier this month. He has not had a good game since going the distance and allowing one run against Memphis on March 28, and he gives up a ton of hits. The Pirates could opt for David Lucroy, who has excellent stats overall but was removed from the weekend rotation after giving up 11 runs in 17 2/3 innings covering four starts, including giving up six hits and four runs to Tulane in 2 1/3 innings of a loss.
The Pirates have won nine consecutive one-run games, including six in a span of eight days in April, but they have thrown in some clunkers. Their last six losses have come by an average of eight runs.
If Corey Merrill rebounds from a couple of shaky outings, Tulane can win this one going away. And even if it's close, streaks are made to be broken and the Wave has a winning feel about it right now. Get by today, and Tulane would be in terrific shape to reach the championship game with its hottest starter, Alex Massey, going against an opponent playing its fourth game on Saturday.
By the way, David Pierce can reach uncharted territory as a head coach today if Tulane wins. In his three years as coach at Sam Houston State, he never went 2-0 in the Southland tournament. His team lost its first game in 2012, then won two straight before being eliminated. In 2013 and 2014 he won the opener, then lost two straight. He told me recently he thought his players relaxed a bit in the Southland tournaments because they felt secure about getting an at-large bid. That's not the case with Tulane, where he told the players they had secured nothing after yesterday's win. Whether it's true or not is debatable, but they appeared to believe his message.