Privateers Baseball Begins Non-Conference Weekend at Troy on Friday

NEW ORLEANS AT TROY
FRIDAY-SUNDAY, APR. 1-3 | 6:00, 3:00, 1:00 PM
RIDDLE-PACE FIELD | TROY, ALA.

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The University of New Orleans baseball team (17-8, 4-5 Southland) will play an out-of-conference series against a familiar foe when they match up against the Troy Trojans (14-12, 3-6 Sun Belt). The series starts on Friday with a first pitch slated for 6 p.m.
 
UNO will be playing the Trojans for the third time since the Privateers left the Sun Belt. The last meetings commenced during a three-game series at Riddle-Pace Field in 2014. UNO took the first game of the series in extra innings and the Trojans won a pair of close games the next two days. Troy owns a 17-7 advantage in the all-time series.
 
"Troy has always played well," said Coach Blake Dean. "They're a tough opponent and they play in a good conference. They see pretty good talent on a regular basis so it's a challenge for us and hopefully we can get things going again to try to get a few road wins.
 
The Privateers' last outing was a 13-4 win over Jackson State to move UNO's home record to 15-1. Dakota Dean and Samuel Capielano each had three RBIs and the Privateers achieved a season high for stolen bases in a game with six. UNO had 17 stolen bases on the year before the Jackson State victory. Dean (5) and Aaron Palmer (4) pace the Privateers in steals this year.
 
Kyle Bracey got his first game off in the Tuesday triumph and Ryan Calloway also sat out with a leg ailment. Meanwhile, the rotation has shifted around. Shawn Semple will start the series opener, Riley Hodge will throw on Saturday, and Bryan Warzek has been moved into the weekend rotation. Warzek will throw the series finale.
 
"It's a long season so we wanted to try to get those guys a breather when we can so if we get the opportunity to do one to have those guys get their legs back under them," said Dean. "Hopefully they'll be a little more refreshed and ready to roll.
 
Keaton Brewer has been the main long reliever for the Privateers this season and is now at two wins after picking up the decision on Tuesday. In 11 appearances, Brewer has thrown two or more innings five times. That included 2.2 frames of scoreless ball with just one hit allowed against a potent Jackson State offense, which came in leading the SWAC in batting average and runs.
 
Troy enters under first year head coach, Mark Smartt who was an assistant at Troy under Bobby Pierce for 13 years prior. Smartt has guided the Trojans to a 14-12 mark so far and pitching has been the calling card of the squad. Troy has a team ERA of 3.00, which tops the Sun Belt and is tied for 27^th nationally.
 
The Trojans threw their fourth team shutout of the 2016 campaign on Tuesday when they blanked Alabama State 8-0. Three Trojans combined to allow just three hits on the night. Opponents are hitting just .244 off of Troy pitchers collectively. Leading that brigade is Grant Bennett who has allowed just six earned runs in 43.0 innings and leads all Sun Belt starters with a 1.42 ERA. Bennett also leads the team in strikeouts with 35.
 
For the weekend, Troy's rotation will be Bennett on Friday, Houston Mabray on Saturday, Lucas Brown on Sunday. Brown has a 3.03 ERA and a 3-3 record. Mabray is getting his second start of the season. Trey Johns and Marc Skinner have combined for 25 relief appearances and both have an ERA under 2.00. Corey Childress has four of the Trojans' five saves.
 
Season tickets for the 2016 campaign are available for as low as $125 and single-game tickets start at $5. For additional information, contact the UNO Athletics Ticket Office at (504) 280-GAME (4263) or click HERE.
 
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