Tulane walks off on three-run homer

Staff report
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NEW ORLEANS —  An outstanding pitching effort by East Carolina junior left-hander Evan Kruczynski went unrewarded as Tulane rallied for a 5-2 American Athletic Conference win Friday night.

The Green Wave scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, ending the game with a three-run homer by Hunter Williams.

Kruczynski pitched into the ninth. He scattered four hits and struck out 13 without allowing a walk.

Jake Rogers was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the ninth. Grant Witherspoon followed with a two-strike single through the right side that moved Rogers to third and finished the night for Kruczynski.

Joe Ingle (4-3) came in, walking Hunter Hope to load the bases. An infield single by Lex Kaplan scored Rogers, and Grant Brown, who was pinch running for Witherspoon, came in with the tying run on a throwing error.

Hope tried to score on a pitch that got past ECU catcher Tyler Watkins but Watkins tossed to Ingle for a tag out at the plate for out one.

Jeremy Montalbano walked and Jake Willsey struck out before Williams homered to right field on a 2-0 pitch.

Williams improved his average to .118 with a 2-for-4 night.

The Pirates (20-10, 2-2 AAC) outhit Tulane (20-9, 2-1) by an 11-6 margin.

Luke Bolka homered to left for a 1-0 ECU lead in the second.

The Pirates went ahead 2-0 in the seventh as Jeff Nelson scored on a bunt by Charlie Yorgen.

Getting two hits each for ECU were Yorgen, Bolka, Eric Tyler and Dwanya Williams-Sutton.

Ross Massey (4-2) pitched a complete game for Tulane, which hosts the Pirates at 5 p.m. (Eastern time) today.

PAGE UPDATED 04/09/16 04:06 PM.

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