Privateers Baseball Races to Five-Run Lead, Holds On Against Wildcats

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ABILENE, Texas – The University of New Orleans baseball team (28-18, 12-12 Southland) scored five runs in the first inning and held on for a 6-4 win over the Abilene Christian Wildcats (14-30, 6-18) on Sunday at Crutcher Scott Field.
 
The Wildcats had a threat in the eighth inning, trailing by three runs. A walk, a base hit, and an error loaded the bases with two outs and put the tying run aboard. Daniel Martinez came in and after a second error in the inning brought home a run, a ground out to third to keep a 6-4 lead heading to the ninth.
 
Heath Beasley led off the ninth inning with a double off the base of the left field wall, but Martinez came back to retire the next three in order. The final out was recorded when Mark Pearson popped out in foul territory. Martinez and Keaton Brewer combined to pitch the final 3.1 innings and allowed just one unearned run in support of Bryan Warzek who picked up the win.
 
"Our pitching staff by far got us through this weekend," said Coach Blake Dean. "Keaton threw all of his pitches for strikes and got us to Daniel who was able to finish it out."
 
UNO got to Wildcats starter, Kyle Carroll who struggled with command early. Carroll walked the bases loaded with one out and Kyle Bracey was the first to strike with a two-run single. Preston Marsh followed with a two-out RBI single and Ryan Calloway hammered a triple into the gap in right-center to bring in two more runs to make it 5-0.
 
The Wildcats got two runs back in the bottom of the first. Russell Crippen led off the inning with a base hit. He was bunted over to second and driven in on the first of three Heath Beasley's hits, a double down the right field line. Abilene Christian added a second run on an RBI ground out.
 
Warzek kept the Wildcats off the bases for the next few innings and established command of the strike zone. After the first inning, Warzek's only other run was surrendered on a two-out RBI single in the fifth by Beasley.
 
"Bryan did a great job for us," said Dean. "I thought today was the best he's looked so far. He gave us a chance to win. The only thing was he got to two outs quick and he let up a bit, but for the most part we couldn't ask for anything more."
 
UNO's win put them back at .500 in the conference standings with two weekends to go against in state foes, Southeastern and Nicholls. Bracey and Marsh each had two hits and two RBIs on the day while Calloway added his third triple of the season.
 
"Overall if you grade the weekend, we didn't play very well," said Dean. "That's the worst our defense has played and we didn't swing the bat but the guys found a way to grind some runs out when it mattered and our pitching staff held them down."
 
The Wildcats were led by Beasley who had three hits and two RBIs. Austin Call also added three hits and the top three hitters in the order each scored a run. Carroll recovered from a rough first inning and allowed just one hit over the next six frames.

UNO will next face Tulane in the second game of the First NBC Cup on Tuesday. First pitch is slated for 6:30 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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