Box Score
HOUSTON, Texas – The New Orleans Privateers baseball team (6-13, 1-4 Southland) surrendered a big sixth inning in a 9-2 loss to the Houston Baptist Huskies (10-9, 2-3) in the front end of a doubleheader on Saturday at Husky Field.
Leading 2-1 in the fifth, Privateers starter
Darron McKigney retired the first two batters in order. After allowing back-to-back singles to keep the frame alive, McKigney gave up a two-run double to Bradley Brown that pushed Houston Baptist ahead 3-2.
The Huskies added to that advantage off the combination of
Daniel Martinez and
Mitchell Cohen. The inning started against Martinez who made his season debut for the Privateers. After finishing the fifth on one pitch, Martinez allowed a single and a walk and was relieved for Cohen. The Huskies pounded out six more hits, including five with two outs to grow the advantage to 8-2.
New Orleans threatened to cut into the deficit in the seventh. Consecutive singles by
Reese Kanter and
Hezekiah Randolph chased Huskies starter Ryan Lower.
Jonathan Coco then singled to left to load the bases with no outs. Garza recovered to get a 5-2 double play and a strike out to retire the side with no damage done on the board.
The Privateers fell behind 1-0 after an RBI sacrifice fly in the second from Jordan Hebert. New Orleans gained their first and only advantage in the third when Kanter and Randolph hit back-to-back two out RBI singles.
McKigney (0-4) took the loss while giving up three runs in 4.2 innings and striking out five batters. The Privateers collected 10 hits as a team including six with two outs.
Chaz Boyer went 2-for-4 while Coco paced the club on the game with three hits.
Lower (3-1) spread out nine hits over six innings in the win. Garza picked up the save, his third of the season, by throwing the final three frames.
