Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 UNO-UWF Box Score (Game 1)
UNO-UWF Box Score (Game 2)
PENSACOLA, Fla. - The University of New Orleans baseball team opened Gulf South Conference play by earning a split on the road at No. 2 ranked West Florida on Sunday afternoon at Jim Spooner Field.
UNO (7-4, 1-1 GSC) dropped the opening contest 10-9 before rebounding with a 12-3 victory in the second game against the defending NCAA Division II College World Series champion UWF (14-2, 1-1 GSC).
The loss in the nightcap for the Argos snapped the squad's four-game win streak and handed the hosts their first home loss in eight games this year. The Privateers became just the second team in the last 32 contests to pick up a win at Jim Spooner Field.
In the opener, UNO scored three runs in the first and led 6-3 after four innings.
The early offensive exploits by the Privateers ended the day for UWF starter Josh Tanski after he gave up four runs on nine hits in 2.1 innings.
The Argos responded with two runs in the fifth and four more in the sixth.
The first two scores came against Privateer starter
Christian Cale before three of the go-ahead runs scored in the sixth came off of
Cameron Glendinning (0-1). Glendinning retired just one batter while giving up three runs in a shortened appearance on the mound.
UWF added two more runs off of
Garrett Manning for a 10-6 lead before UNO tacked three scores on in the eighth frame before the second out was recorded.
The Privateers had their opportunities to knot the game in the eighth, but left three stranded on base against Argos' closer Bobby Parker, who picked up his sixth save by retiring the final five batters of the game.
Blake LeBlanc was 3-for-6 with three RBIs and three runs to lead UNO in the contest while
Cameron Wheeless added three hits in his five plate appearances. Drew Bryson (1-0) picked up the win for the UWF after the Argos took the leader under his watch.
In the second contest, UNO tied a season-high with 12 runs on way to defeating UWF. The team also produced 11 hits – one shy of their season-best.
After being held off the scoreboard in their first at-bat, the Privateers scored three in the second and two more in the third against Argos' starter Jake Stephens (3-1). Stephens would depart after four innings in which he allowed five runs to UNO.
The early scoring for the Privateers included the first career home run for freshman
Seth Laigast, one of three scores by the freshmen in the contest on a 2-for-3 outing.
UWF's lone three runs in the game came off
Stone Speer, who exited after 3.1 innings.
Jake Fabre (3-1) came in for relief and struck out six while tossing 3.2 shutout frames for head coach Bruce Peddie's squad.
Fabre held a 5-2 lead before the Privateers added an insurance run in the sixth before plating six more in the seventh. A pair of errors coupled with six hits by UNO allowed for the six-run frame.
Wheeless was 2-for-5 with three runs with Steffan Farrell and
Jonathan Coco also contributing two hits apiece in the nightcap.
Zach Liberto and Farrell scored twice.
The Privateers will return to Maestri Field for their next four contests, beginning with a Saturday, Mar. 10 doubleheader against Valdosta State. All four home games during the next homestand will be broadcast on WGSO 990 AM.
