Tulane Baseball Falls to ECU, 9-6, in Heavyweight Matchup

Tulane fought back but couldn't overcome a late-inning injury to their star reliever

Apr. 12, 2026 at 4:39am

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A fragmented, geometric painting in shades of green, gold, and navy blue, representing the competitive college baseball matchup between Tulane and ECU.The intense back-and-forth battle between Tulane and ECU is captured in a cubist-inspired illustration that deconstructs the action on the field.New Orleans Today

Tulane baseball fought hard but ultimately fell to East Carolina 9-6 in the second game of their three-game series. The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading blows, but the biggest loss of the night came when Tulane's star reliever Beau Sampson suffered an injury to his throwing elbow in the 8th inning with the game tied at 6-6. ECU then scored three unanswered runs to take the lead and hold on for the win, evening the series at a game apiece.

Why it matters

This was a crucial matchup between two top teams in the American Athletic Conference, with Tulane and ECU battling for position in the standings. The injury to Sampson, who has been a key part of Tulane's bullpen, is a major concern for the Green Wave as they look to bounce back and win the rubber match on Sunday.

The details

Tulane jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the 2nd inning, but ECU responded with a grand slam in the 6th to take a 6-2 advantage. Tulane fought back, tying the game at 6-6 in the 7th on a bases-clearing double by Matthias Haas. However, the game turned in the 8th when Sampson, who had been stellar out of the bullpen, suffered an injury to his throwing elbow. ECU then scored 3 unanswered runs to take the lead and hold on for the win.

  • The game was played on April 12, 2026 in Turchin Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana.
  • Tulane and ECU are in the midst of a three-game weekend series, with the rubber match set for 1:00 PM on Sunday, April 13, 2026.

The players

Beau Sampson

A left-handed relief pitcher for Tulane who has been stellar out of the bullpen, but suffered an injury to his throwing elbow in the 8th inning of this game.

Jay Uhlman

The head coach of the Tulane baseball team.

Johnny Elliott

The catcher for Tulane who hit a double in the 2nd inning.

Jack Johnson

The third baseman for Tulane who hit a double in the 2nd inning.

Nate Johnson

The first baseman for Tulane and Jack Johnson's brother, who drove in a run with a single in the 2nd inning.

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What they’re saying

“I'm extremely concerned. He was very emotional, of course, and no amount of words are going to stop that emotion. (We just told him) we love you and we're here to support you on your road to recovery, which starts tomorrow.”

— Jay Uhlman, Head Coach, Tulane Baseball

“I didn't like the way we handled the grand slam. I thought we were a little mopey (afterwards)....(I spoke with the team in the dugout). I wasn't being rude or condescending. I was being honest in my evaluation of what they looked like. From that point on, we got the runs back.”

— Jay Uhlman, Head Coach, Tulane Baseball

“That's a hard one. You're reeling from that. I told them 'There's nothing we can do for him right now. We have to pick ourselves up and keep moving without him, even though we feel bad for him.' That's a tough one to overcome.”

— Jay Uhlman, Head Coach, Tulane Baseball

“We have a chance to win the series tomorrow. All hands are on deck. It's going to be a roll up your sleeves donnybrook. It's going to be like you (On SI) said, 'a heavyweight fight.' When we play them, it's usually good baseball, competitive, it's chess, and you know I love a good chess match.”

— Jay Uhlman, Head Coach, Tulane Baseball

What’s next

The rubber match of the series is set for a 1:00 p.m. start in Turchin Stadium on Sunday, April 13, 2026. Tulane will look to bounce back and win the series against their conference rival ECU.

The takeaway

This back-and-forth battle between Tulane and ECU highlights the competitive nature of the American Athletic Conference, where every series is a heavyweight fight. The injury to Tulane's star reliever Beau Sampson is a major concern, but the Green Wave will need to rally together and find a way to win the series finale on Sunday.