Tulane would strike back in the 6th inning though, as they had runners on 2nd and third with one out, but could only get one run across the board after a single from Simon Baumgardt would bring in Brady Marget for the Green Waves first run of the game. The Green Wave just could not get anything else going in that half inning and Keathley found himself out of another huge jam and the Bearcats senior would escape the 6th with a 6-1 lead.
The Bearcats would but the nails in the coffin during the 7th inning after Paul Komistek reached after being Hit by a pitch would Griffin Merritt would bring him in 3 batters later with his second homerun of the day after he launched a long 2 run home run to left field to give the Bearcats a 8-1 lead over the Green Wave and the Bearcats could feel sense this one would be over shortly after the former LaSalle product launched his 19th home run of the season in the bottom of the 7th and the Bearcats would cost the final 2 innings behind Beau Keathley where they would defeat the Green Wave 8-1 and will now take on the winner of East Carolina and USF this Thursday at 1 pm.
The Bearcats are getting hot at the right time as they are looking to make it back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since Scott Googins and the Bearcats made the bid dance back in 2019 where they faced Oregon State and now top prospect Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles. The Bearcats high powered offense will look to keep the bats ready as they head into day 3 of the AAC tournament.
A note heading into the next round of the AAC Tournament with Keathley shoving 9 innings today for the Bearcats, they have a whole bullpen that will be ready to go if needed as the Bearcats head into game 2 on Thursday, which huge for a team when it comes to conference play as the Bearcats will look to make a deep run down in Clearwater.
Notables–
Beau Keathley would go to throw a complete game, going 9 innings, allowing just 6 hits, and one run, while striking out 4 batters. A dominant showing for the senior to kick off the AAC Tournament.
Cole Harting would go 2-4, with a 2B, and 2RBI’s
Griffin Merritt would continue to show why he was the American Athletic Conference player of the year as he went 3-4 with 2 Homeruns, a 2B and 5 RBI’s on the day.
The Bearcats will look to keep the hot streak going down in Clearwater as they await and see who they will take on next and it will be either 8 seeded USF or the top seeded East Carolina University, as they now have the next day off and will be back in action on Thursday at 1 pm where they take on the winner of ECU and USF.
