NEW ORLEANS ? The University of New Orleans pounded out 16 hits and got another strong starting pitching performance, as the Privateers rolled past Vermont 9-2 on Saturday to sweep a doubleheader at Maestri Field.
Josh Vander Hey had three hits and preseason All-America second baseman Johnny Giavotella had two hits and a solo home run as UNO (5-2) won its fifth straight. Michael Knipper tallied three hits, and Mark McGonigle continued his torrid weekend with two hits and three RBIs.
T.J. Baxter also added two hits and scored three runs.
The Privateers, who took an 8-2 win in the first game, scored in five of the first six innings.
On the mound, right-hander Jim McGonigle (1-0) tossed seven innings and had a career-high eight strikeouts. The sophomore allowed just three hits.
Keith Rakus (0-1) got the loss for Vermont after giving up eight hits and six runs in four innings.
“I was really pleased with how we handled Vermont's pitching this weekend,” said UNO head coach Tom Walter. “With the starting arms that they have, they are going to win their share of games. We had a really good approach, and we got a lot of production throughout the lineup.”
The Catamounts (0-3) jumped ahead 1-0 in the first as McGonigle surrendered back-to-back walks to start the game. But after getting out of the jam with just one run scoring, the Houston, Texas, product settled down and allowed only three baserunners the rest of the day.
The UNO bats took advantage with single runs in the first and second innings before Mark McGonigle made it 5-1 in the third with a one-out, two-run triple.
The Privateers put it away with three runs in the fifth ? keyed by a leadoff home run by Giavotella and RBI singles from Jeff Lanning and Knipper.
UNO will host Miami (Ohio) at 12 p.m. on Sunday.
