Privateers Give Up Tying Run in the Ninth, Fall in Extras to McNeese

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LAKE CHARLES, La. – The New Orleans Privateers baseball team (11-19, 2-9) gave up a two-out double to tie the game and a walk-off wild pitch in extras in a 3-2 loss to the McNeese State Cowboys (19-12, 9-5) on Friday at Cowboy Diamond.
 
Kevin Kelleher was searching for his first save after coming in with one out in the eighth. After getting a double play to end the eighth, Kelleher surrendered a lead-off single to Connor Lloyd that started the ninth. Kelleher got the next two batters to ground out, but on a 2-2 pitch, Lewis Guilbeau sent one off the wall to tie the game and send it to extras.
 
Kelleher bounced back to keep the Cowboys quiet over the next three innings. That carried the game to the 13^th with Seth Laigast on the mound, but McNeese loaded the bases with no outs. After Laigast got a force out, a wild pitch with James Cantu at the plate scored the winning run for the Cowboys.
 
The Privateers started the scoring back in the fourth inning. A one-out walk drawn by Sam Carriere was followed by a Matt Rykaczewski opposite field double to put runners on second and third. Jonathan Coco in his return to the lineup, drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to center. Then Preston Marsh singled in the second run to give New Orleans a 2-0 lead.
 
McNeese responded with the lead-off batter in the bottom of the fourth as Connor Crane hit a home run to cut the lead in half. That was the only run the Cowboys got off of Alex Smith who went 7.1 innings and struck out five batters while scattering seven hits. Smith also did not allow a walk and threw 109 pitches.
 
Rykaczewski and Coco each landed with two hits on the night. Hezekiah Randolph drew four walks in six plate appearances. In his return to the starting lineup, Samuel Capielano went 0-for-6. The Privateers collected seven hits in total.
 
McNeese relievers combined to throw eight innings and strike out seven while allowing four hits and two walks. Collin Kober picked up the win, pitching the final frame. Guillotte was 2-for-6 and Joe Provenzano went 3-for-5 with three singles.
 
The series concludes on Saturday with a first pitch slated for 3 p.m.
 
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