Privateers Start Long Road Trip at McNeese

NEW ORLEANS (11-17, 2-7) AT MCNEESE STATE (17-12, 7-5)
GAME 29-31 | LAKE CHARLES, LA. | COWBOY DIAMOND
THURSDAY 6 PM | FRIDAY 6 PM | SATURDAY 3 PM

GAME NOTES | AUDIO | TWITTER
 
THE SERIES:
The New Orleans Privateers baseball team (11-17, 2-7 Southland) starts a pivotal nine-game road trip on Thursday with a weekend series against the McNeese State Cowboys (17-12, 7-5 Southland) at Cowboy Diamond. First pitch for the series opener is set for 6 p.m.
 
With the win on Tuesday against Loyola, the Privateers wrapped up a 12-game home stand with a 5-7 mark. The victory also matched last season's win total for New Orleans. The Privateers never trailed on Tuesday after taking the lead in the bottom of the first.
 
The Cowboys are coming off a mid-week loss to Southern on Tuesday by a 5-4 margin. McNeese State has lost five of their last six games coming into the weekend and three of those losses have come by one run. McNeese State is third in the league in batting average and leads the Southland in home runs with 14.
 
This year, McNeese State has not lost a game when leading after six innings (14-0). Reliever, Cory Lapeze has allowed just four hits in 63 opponent at-bats. Closer, Collin Kober sports a 0.98 ERA with six saves. Andrew Guillotte is in the top three in the conference in hits, stolen bases, and runs.

WEATHER:

DAY	TEMPERATURE	CONDITIONS	RAIN CHANCE	WINDS
Thursday	82/68	Partly Cloudy	10%	S 10-15
Friday	83/55	Mostly Sunny	20%	SSW 10-20
Saturday	73/52	AM Clouds	20%	NE 10-20

 
PITCHING ROTATION:
Thursday- UNO: Daniel Martinez RHP (0-2, 5.45) vs. MCN: Kaleb Jon Fontenot (3-3, 3.82)
Friday- UNO: Alex Smith RHP (3-4, 2.76) vs. MCN: TBA
Saturday- UNO: Jordan Priddle LHP (4-2, 3.86) vs. MCN: TBA
 
ALL-TIME SERIES:
RECORD: New Orleans leads 22-19
LAST MEETING: McNeese State W 8-6, 5/4/14
 
NEXT UP:
The Privateers will travel to face their first ranked opponent of the season when they tangle with LSU in Baton Rouge on Tuesday, Apr. 7. First pitch is for 6:30 p.m.
 
NEWS AND NOTES:
RUNNING DOWN A DREAM:
The Privateers have been successful in their last eight steal attempts as a team, culminating with four steals in Tuesday's win over Loyola. Hezekiah Randolph became the first Privateer this year with multiple steals in a game and Randolph is 5-for-5 on the base paths.
 
NO FREEBIES:
Alex Smith has issued just one walk in his last three outings (13.0 innings pitched). Smith pitched an inning out of the pen in the win against Loyola. On the season, Smith has walked 13 batters in 45.2 innings.
 
LUCKY SEVEN:
In four games since being moved to the seventh spot in the lineup, Preston Marsh has gone 7-for-13 at the plate with three RBIs, and has raised his batting average by 41 points. Marsh went 1-for-3 with an RBI in Tuesday's win over Loyola.
 
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