Privateers Narrowly Defeated in Both Games at Northwestern State

GAME 1: BOX SCORE (XML) | BOX SCORE (PDF)
GAME 2: BOX SCORE (XML) | BOX SCORE (PDF)

NATCHITOCHES, La. – The New Orleans Privateers baseball team (11-23, 2-12 Southland) surrendered a lead in the ninth of inning in the series opener and wound up losing both games by scores of 5-4 and 5-3 to the Northwestern State Demons (19-15, 11-5) on Friday at Brown-Stroud Field.
 
In the first game, the Privateers jumped on Demons starter, Adam Oller. New Orleans did a heavy amount of two-out damage, scoring three in the inning. Sam Carriere started the proceedings with a two-run double. Matt Rykaczewski then followed with an RBI single to center to make it 3-0 after one inning.
 
Chaz Boyer came up in the second and cranked a solo home run, his second of the season to give the Privateers a 4-0 advantage. However, the offense was held quiet for the rest of the contest as Northwestern State slowly chipped away.
 
The Demons finally scratched the scoreboard in the seventh after stranding seven runners through the first four frames. Jordan Priddle was chased from the game after 4.1 innings as he saw his pitch count elevate early. Priddle threw 102 pitches and walked four batters while conceding two earned runs. Seth Laigast came in with the bases loaded and one out and got the next two batters, while allowing one inherited runner to score on a sacrifice fly.
 
Laigast kept the Demons down for 3.1 innings, allowing just one hit. With two outs in the eighth, Kevin Kelleher was called upon for a four-out save. Kelleher got the last out of the eighth and went to the final frame. However, the middle of the Northwestern State order came up with two hits and a walk to load the bases. Caleb Dugas then hit a single to left and Nick Heath delivered the final blow on a walk-off single to give the Demons the first game.
 
The Privateers committed three errors in the second game and were playing mostly from behind. Northwestern State took the lead for good in the fifth inning as Cort Brinson singled with one out, and Chase Daughdrill doubled to the gap in left-center to drive him in. The Privateers got a lead-off double from Sam Carriere in the sixth, but he was thrown out by CJ Webster while trying to advance on a pitch in the dirt. Webster threw out three runners in the second game.
 
Brandon Smith came on to close it down and picked up the save while getting three ground ball outs. It was the sixth save of the year for Smith who needed just nine pitches to preserve the win for Josh Oller (6-1). Alex Smith went eight innings and took the loss, but allowed just one earned run while throwing 120 pitches.
 
Boyer went 4-for-6 between both games with three RBIs and a run. Carriere collected a hit in each game and drove in two runs. Ryan Calloway bounced back from an 0-for-4 mark in the first game to go 2-for-4 with a run in the nightcap. Preston Marsh scored two runs in the second game and went 2-for-7 at the plate.
 
Daughdrill racked up six hits and scored three runs in nine at-bats. Brinson also scored three times while Joel Atkinson had 12 assists in the field (eight in the first game). Adam Oller managed to go eight innings despite his early struggles in the first game and allowed no walks while striking out four. Josh Oller scattered 10 hits over eight innings and allowed three runs (two earned).
 
The series closes on Saturday with a first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m.
 
Tickets can be purchased online for the May 12^th meeting with LSU in New Orleans at UNOPrivateers.com, over the phone at (504) 280-GAME or in person at the ticket office located at 2000 Lakeshore Dr., New Orleans, La. 70148.

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