Privateers Baseball Evens Series, Wins Wild Contest Over Northwestern State

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NEW ORLEANS – Jay Robinson led off with a double in the ninth and scored on an error as the University of New Orleans baseball team (19-15, 5-9 Southland) won a wild 6-5 contest over the Northwestern State Demons (18-16, 9-8) on Saturday at Maestri Field at First NBC Ballpark.
 
Robinson led off the ninth against Jeffrey Stovall with a double that hopped off the left field fence. After a walk to Aaron Palmer, a ground ball was hit to short by Samuel Capielano. The Demons got the force at second, but an errant throw on the attempted turn of a double play allowed Robinson to score the game winner.
 
"We hit the ball better today," said Coach Blake Dean. "The two extra base hits, both scored and played a big part in the game for us. We've got to get back to driving the ball in the gap an manufacturing extra base hits. If we don't, it's going to be a long rest of the year."
 
The Privateers had a 5-3 lead entering the ninth, but that was erased on a two-run double from Kelsey Richard who advanced to third on the throw. Regan Kaufman hit a ground ball on the drawn in infield and Richard was caught in a rundown between third and home. The Privateers got out of the inning on a ground ball to third.
 
UNO struck first with aggressive base running by Palmer. After a lead-off single, Palmer stole second. Later in the inning, he stole third and the first of four Demons errors on the day allowed him to score to put UNO ahead 1-0.
 
The Demons tied the game in the third and then went ahead in the fourth on a solo home run by Matt Valdez, his second extra base hit of the weekend. Privateers starter, Riley Hodge went 6.0 innings and struck out a season high 10 while giving up just four hits. Hodge threw 113 pitches and 75 strikes on the day.
 
"Riley threw the ball well," said Dean. "When we get ahead, we typically have success. His fastball was good, he was throwing his off-speed for strikes, and he looked good. He did a great job for us and kept it close enough for us to get something going."
 
The game got wild towards the latter stages. After UNO was denied the tying run on an overturned call in the fourth, the Privateers eventually tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth. Ray Veit, who entered as a pinch hitter in the middle of the game for Dakota Dean, led the inning off with a single and came around to score on a wild pitch. Veit was 2-for-2 with a walk, an RBI, and a run.
 
"We did a good job on the bases and finally we're getting a chance to be a little more aggressive now that our bats have calmed down," said Dean. "We're going to have to take extra bases whether it be stealing or dirt ball reads to get guys into scoring position. Veit did a good job today and helped us out when Dakota was a little banged up."
 
The Demons went back in front briefly in the top of the seventh, but UNO grabbed the lead back in the bottom half of the inning. Capielano reached on a fielder's choice to avoid an inning ending double play and Veit followed with an RBI single. UNO got their first extra base hit of the weekend in the eighth on a solo homer by Kyle Bracey.
 
Palmer had three hits in four at-bats and scored a run. Veit, Hezekiah Randolph, and Ryan Calloway each had two hits. Keaton Brewer was credited with the win after throwing the final 1.2 innings. Robinson went 1-for-3 with two runs.
 
For the Demons, Cort Brinson and Richard each had two hits. Chase Hymel threw 6.1 innings and gave up four runs (three earned) while striking out six. Stovall took the loss, his fourth of the season.
 
The series concludes on Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
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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