NEW ORLEANS – The University of New Orleans (4-5) put up a crooked number in the fourth, highlighted by a big three run homer by
Cody Ducote but three errors allowed No. 15 Southern Miss (6-2) to top the Privateers 9-7 Tuesday evening at Maestri Field.
Darren Willis led the Privateer charge at the plate, going 4-5 with a triple, two runs batted in and three runs scored.
Jacob McFadden added two hits of his own and an RBI. Ducote blasted his third home run of the season.
Golden Eagles relief pitcher Jarod Wright earned his second win of the season after striking out four in 4.0 innings. Privateer starter
John Michael Stephens was tagged with the loss to fall to 0-1 on the year after giving up seven hits and six runs – four earned – in 6.0 innings of work. Matt Wallner was credited with his second save of the year despite allowing the tying run at the plate.
HOW IT HAPPENED
USM struck first after it scored a run in the first, two in the second and one more in the third for a 4-0 lead.
The Privateers erased the four-run Golden Eagle lead in the third.
Jay Robinson got on with a one out single and after stealing second, came around to score on Willis' single. Three batters later, Ducote cleared the left field wall to knot the game at 4.
One inning later, New Orleans took its first lead of the game, 5-4, on Willis' infield single as
John Thomas Mauldin scored. However, Southern Miss capitalized on defensive miscues to regain the lead in the sixth, this time 6-5 and tacked on two runs in the seventh for a three-run cushion.
UNO closed the gap with runs in the seventh and the ninth and brought up the tying run at the plate. McFadden drove the ball deep to the left field warning track but the Golden Eagles escaped Maestri Field with a 9-7 victory.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Privateers welcome the Red Wolves of Arkansas State to town for a three game set this weekend. First pitch on Friday is set for 6:30 p.m.
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