HAMMOND, La. – John Michael Stephens was spectacular in the latter game of a Southland Conference doubleheader Saturday at Pat Denelly Diamond at Alumni Field, tossing 7.0 innings of three-hit ball in the University of New Orleans' (7-9, 1-2 Southland) 8-1 victory over Southeastern Louisiana University (11-6, 2-1 Southland). Game one went to the Lions 3-1.
Pearce Howard broke out with a 2-for-4 performance in game one and 3-for-5 performance at the dish in game two, including a home run and three runs scored.
FIRST GAME
Howard went 2-for-4 with a double and southpaws
Christopher DeMayo and
Matthew Gillis combined to toss 2.1 scoreless innings out of the 'pen but the Privateers fell to the Lions 3-1 in game one. Entering the weekend leading the nation in stolen bases,
Beau Bratton kept Southeastern Louisiana honest, throwing out its lone attempt.
RECORDS
However, starter Carlisle Koestler (3-0) was dominant, striking out nine and allowing an unearned run in 7.0 innings of work. Trey Shaffer picked up his first save of the season with 2.0 scoreless frames.
Reeves Martin (0-2) was charged with the loss after giving up three runs in 5.2 innings.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Reeves dealt early with three scoreless, but Southeastern Louisiana took a 1-0 lead in the fourth.
Jay Robinson's RBI plated Howard, who reached on his first collegiate extra-base hit, in the top half of the fifth to tie the game at 1-1. The Lions regained the lead, 2-1, on a solo shot and added a cushion run in the sixth.
The Privateers threatened in the top of the seventh with the tying run on first, but the Lions clinched the series win with the 3-1 victory.
SECOND GAME
The offense clicked with three runs in the opening innings and did not look back, scoring eight runs on 12 hits in the 8-1 game two victory. Howard finished 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBI,
Collin Morrill added a double and was 3-for-5 from the plate and Robinson went 2-for-4 with two ribbies but the story was the tall left-hander
John Michael Stephens.
RECORDS
Stephens (1-1) struck out six and allowed just three hits in 7.0 innings.
Mathew Oset struck out three in 2.0 perfect frames. The Privateers chased Lions starter Kade Granier (1-2) out in the second inning, scoring three runs on five hits in 1.2 innings.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Moving up to the two-hole in the lineup, Howard singled and came around to score on Bratton's RBI single. The Privateers did not look back adding two runs in the second for good measure as
Collin Morrill began the frame with a double and scored on Robinson's single up the middle. Howard brought home
Jared McKay (hit by pitch) to make it 3-0 UNO.
The Lions got one back in the bottom of the frame but Stephens settled down, completing his career night of three-hit ball of seven innings.
New Orleans added three runs on two hits in the fifth and Howard's solo shot – his first of the season – in the sixth extended the lead to 7-1.
In the eighth, Howard doubled and was plated on
Owen Magee's single.
NEXT UP
New Orleans hosts Southern Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Maestri Field. The Privateers defeated the Jaguars 14-3 in the Andre Dawson Classic finale.
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