EDINBURG, Texas ? It took the University of New Orleans three chances, but the Privateers finally got the sweep they were looking for.
Preseason All-America second baseman Johnny Giavotella went 3-for-4, including a solo home run, and the Privateers got some quality pitching as UNO took a 5-2 win at Texas-Pan American on Sunday.
Jeff Lanning went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, and Joey Butler had two hits and an RBI as UNO (20-9) recorded a three-game sweep for the first time this season.
Right-hander Stephen Whalen (3-3) got the win after working six innings and allowing just four hits. The senior struck out three and worked around three walks. Jake Henderson pitched a scoreless seventh inning, and Ryan O'Shea tossed two innings ? giving up a ninth-inning run ? to close it out.
Evan Cunningham (0-1) got the loss for UTPA (9-20).
“The biggest thing about this weekend was the way Stephen Whalen threw the ball today,” said UNO head coach Tom Walter, whose team had dropped its last two Sunday games. “We can't expect to win every game Justin Garcia and Bryan Cryer pitches.
“We are going to need Stephen to win a series for us, and he was big for us today.”
After UTPA took a 1-0 lead in the second, the Privateers got to Cunningham in the middle innings ? starting with a two-out rally in the fifth.
Michael Knipper got UNO on the board with an RBI double that scored Lanning. Ryan Eden got Knipper home with an RBI single to center, and Giavotella made it 3-1 with a solo home run in the sixth.
The Privateers got insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings, and Henderson and O'Shea did the rest.
“Our bullpen was outstanding all weekend,” Walter said. “We only gave up one earned run all weekend. We have a lot of quality arms on this staff, and as they get more confidence, our bullpen is only going to get better.”
UNO finished with 11 hits, including eight in its final five at-bats.
“Cunningham is the best arm they have,” Walter said. “We gave him too many quick innings early, but we made some adjustments and we got some big hits from guys like Michael Knipper and Ryan Eden.”
UNO will host Tulane at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
