NEW ORLEANS (Interstat) — Tulane scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, capped by Jason Wachs’ two-run single, to rally past South Florida 9-8 on Saturday at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in an American Athletic Conference game.

The Green Wave, who entered the inning trailing 8-6, tied the game on a wild pitch that scored Nate Johnson and then took the lead when Wachs lined a single to right field that brought home Marcus Chun and Landon Wood. The comeback erased a strong effort from the Bulls, who had taken the lead with three runs in the top of the seventh and added another run in the eighth.

South Florida, which had won the series opener 16-6 on Friday, appeared in control after Nate Earley’s RBI double in the sixth inning cut the deficit to 6-4. The Bulls then scored three times in the seventh on a passed ball, a groundout and a wild pitch, taking an 8-6 advantage. Earley doubled again in the eighth and scored on a single by Josh Rose to extend the lead to two runs.

But Tulane began its winning rally in the bottom of the eighth when Johnson was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by James Agabedis. After a groundout moved Johnson to third, he scored on a wild pitch by South Florida reliever Nolan Bernard. Bernard was replaced by Brandon Tweedy, who walked Chun and Wood to load the bases. Wachs then delivered the go-ahead hit, a two-run single to right.

Tulane closer Trey Cehajic pitched a scoreless ninth, striking out one, to preserve the win. Cehajic entered with one out in the ninth after Jacob Moore allowed a single and a walk. Cehajic induced a popout and a groundout, the latter driving in a run on a fielder’s choice but stranding the potential tying run at third.

The Bulls outhit the Green Wave 11-8 but stranded 10 runners. South Florida starter Michael Senay threw four innings, allowing two earned runs on no hits while striking out two. Tulane starter Sam Larson went 5 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits with seven strikeouts.

Earley led the Bulls with three hits and two RBIs, including two doubles. Rose also had two hits, an RBI and a run. For the Green Wave, Trent Liolios had two hits and an RBI. Agabedis was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Wachs drove in two runs and scored once.

The game featured three lead changes. South Florida scored first on a run-scoring single by Jake Lohry in the second inning and added an RBI groundout in the third for a 2-0 lead. Tulane answered with three runs in the third and fourth innings, including an unearned run on a throwing error by Senay and an RBI single by Liolios. Agabedis later singled home a run in the fourth to give Tulane a 3-2 advantage.

The Green Wave expanded the lead to 6-2 in the fifth inning on a two-run single by Johnson before South Florida began its comeback.

The win improved Tulane to 24-28 overall. South Florida dropped to 30-19. The teams play the series finale Sunday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of South Florida 4, Tulane 3. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Tulane with a 51.30 percent probability to win.