Privateers Set for Last Full Road Weekend at Central Arkansas

NEW ORLEANS (13-26, 3-15) AT CENTRAL ARKANSAS (20-15, 10-8)
GAME 40-42 | BEAR STADIUM | CONWAY, ARK.
FRIDAY 6 PM | SATURDAY 4 PM | SUNDAY 1 PM

GAME NOTES | AUDIO | VIDEO | TWITTER
 
THE SERIES:
The New Orleans Privateers baseball team (13-26, 3-15 Southland) jumps back into conference action for their final full road weekend against the Central Arkansas Bears (20-15, 10-8) in a three-game series starting Friday at Bear Stadium. First pitch for the series opener is at 6 p.m.
 
The Privateers carried a shutout into the ninth inning in their most recent outing against Jackson State. In the win, New Orleans had their highest run total (nine) in the last 14 games since defeating Arkansas-Pine Bluff 11-1 on Mar. 27. Jonathan Coco has scored a run in each of the last five games. The Privateers are six back of the eighth spot in the conference with 12 Southland games left.
 
Central Arkansas won their last outing, beating Arkansas-Pine Bluff 8-1 after a strong close to the contest. The Bears did not score a run until the fifth inning. On Tuesday, the Bears suffered an 18-4 loss to Ole Miss. Tyler Langley scored twice in the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff and has eight runs in the last 10 games. Langley's 31 runs are tied for fifth in the Southland.
 
The Bears have made it to the conference tournament finals in each of the last two seasons, winning the championship in 2013. Friday starter, Connor Gilmore has picked up the win in each of his last four starts and has three complete games in that stretch. Logan Preston has six home runs, tied for third most in the conference.

WEATHER:

DAY	TEMPERATURE	CONDITIONS	RAIN CHANCE	WINDS
Friday	73/64	Thunderstorms	80%	S 5-10
Saturday	89/58	Partly Cloudy	10%	WNW 5-10
Sunday	79/55	Sunny	10%	NE 10-15

 
PITCHING ROTATION:
Friday- UNO: Alex Smith RHP (3-5, 2.37) vs. UCA: Connor Gilmore RHP (6-2, 2.27)
Saturday- UNO: Kevin Kelleher RHP (1-6, 4.40) vs. UCA: Brandon Hagerla (4-2, 3.81)
Sunday- UNO: Shawn Semple RHP (2-2, 1.93) vs. UCA: TBA
 
ALL-TIME SERIES:
RECORD: Central Arkansas leads 5-0
LAST MEETING: UCA W 4-3, 5/17/14
 
NEXT UP:
The Privateers have two make-up games that compose the next week. New Orleans will travel to Jackson State on Tuesday, Apr. 28 and Louisiana-Lafayette on Wednesday, Apr. 29.
 
NEWS AND NOTES:
THE MIDDLE COLUMN:
The Privateers out-hit an opponent for the 15^th time this season on Wednesday against Jackson State. This season, New Orleans is 11-4 in games when they collect more hits than their opponent, but just 1-21 when getting out-hit.
 
BOOSTER SHOT:
Kevin Kelleher broke a string of five straight outings with a run allowed on Wednesday when he threw four scoreless innings in Wednesday's win. Kelleher also struck out five batters, landing one shy of his season best, which he achieved on Mar. 29 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
 
EXTRA BASES:
The Privateers racked up four extra base hits on Wednesday (two doubles, one triple, and one home run). The total was the most in a game since New Orleans had five extra base hits on Mar. 27. Preston Marsh hit his first home run of the season and now has a hit in 14 of his last 16 games.
 
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