BOCA RATON, Fla. -- The University of New Orleans baseball team won its third straight Sun Belt Conference series on Sunday following a 5-3 win at Florida Atlantic.
The Privateers (19-28, 10-14 Sun Belt) scored five runs in the first two innings and held on late, as UNO got a key series victory in its race to make the eight-team Sun Belt Tournament.
Nick Mitchell went 2-for-2 with three RBIs before leaving in the second inning due to injury, and
Nick Schwaner added two hits and two RBIs.
Freshman
Joe Zimmermann (3-3) tossed five scoreless innings to get the win, and senior
David Burch notched his eighth save after retiring all seven batters he faced.
FAU's Brent Adheen (0-4) got the loss after giving up three runs in the opening inning. The freshman left-hander did not record an out.
The Owls (25-20, 8-15) stuck around thanks to a brilliant relieving effort from left-hander Barry Rooks. The junior threw seven shutout innings, gave up just two hits and struck out seven.
Down 5-0 in the seventh, FAU got three runs thanks to a two-run double from William Block and an RBI double from Nick Criaris. The Owls then loaded the bases with two outs, forcing UNO head coach
Tom Walter to bring in his closer.
Burch, a Morgan City native, got out of the jam by forcing a groundout and then cruised through the eighth and ninth frames.
The Privateers are now in sole possession of eighth place in the league standings with two weekends to go.
UNO will return to action on Wednesday, hosting Tulane in the final game of the First NBC Bank Cup. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. at Maestri Field.
