Box Score
NEW ORLEANS, La. – The New Orleans Privateers baseball team (1-3) were held quiet at the plate in a 5-0 loss to the South Alabama Jaguars (2-3) on Friday night at Zephyr Field.
South Alabama struck first in the fourth inning after an early pitchers' duel. After starter,
Alex Smith got out of some early jams, he conceded two runs on a single by Erik Hindmon after back-to-back hits put runners on second and third. Though the Jaguars scored three more runs, it turned out to be all the insurance starter Matt Bell needed.
"I think we lead the country in shutouts on Friday night," said Head Coach
Ron Maestri. "We didn't swing the bats well tonight."
Bell coasted through eight innings of work, tying his longest career outing. Bell struck out five Privateers and only allowed two hits. New Orleans had their biggest threat in the bottom of the fifth.
Dane Landry reached on an error, and was moved to second on a bunt.
Chaz Boyer reached on an infield single, and stole second to put two runners in scoring position with one out.
The threat would end however as Bell induced a pop out by
Mitchell Alexander to get the second out.
Zach Liberto then grounded out to third to end the frame with no runs registered on what would be the best scoring opportunity of the night.
South Alabama added single runs in the sixth, seventh, and ninth. Matt Wojciechowski went 3-for-4 with two RBI, and clean-up hitter Cole Gleason scored three runs while going 2-for-3 at the plate. Hindmon also posted a multi-hit game by going 2-for-4. The Jaguars got nine hits on the night as a team.
Smith pitched 5.0 innings and gave up three earned runs on seven hits while walking three batters. "Alex got behind a lot of hitters, and he got out of some jams but he's falling behind a lot of hitters," said Maestri about his starter's effort.
Raymond Winter pitched an inning out of the pen. After allowing an inherited runner to score, Winter got into a bases loaded jam, but got out of it by getting a fly out from Adam Ballew.
Mitchell Cohen gave up an earned run in the seventh,
Hunter Medine pitched a clean eighth, and
Tyler Schwaner gave up a run in his collegiate debut while working the ninth.
The Privateers return to the diamond on Saturday for the second game of the set against South Alabama. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
