NEW ORLEANS – Pearce Howard went 4-for-4 with two home runs, three runs scored and three RBI in game two to follow a solo shot in game one but the University of New Orleans (17-20, 7-11 Southland) fell to McNeese State University (16-20, 12-6 Southland) in Sunday's doubleheader at Maestri Field 9-6 and 9-7.
Howard now leads the club with six home runs. He finished the doubleheader 5-of-7 with four RBI and four runs.
GAME ONE
Owen Magee and
Orynn Veillon recorded two hits apiece and Howard went yard as the Privateers scored four runs in the eighth and had the tying run on base but could not complete the comeback in the 9-6 setback.
Veillon collected his sixth double of the season and Magee drove in two. Howard's solo home run was his fourth long ball of the season.
The Privateers were patient at the plate and scored four runs in the eighth on three hit by pitches and two walks and an RBI groundout advanced both runners to put the tying run in scoring position with two outs.
WIN-LOSS RECORD
John Michael Stephens (2-3) was charged with the loss after allowing three runs in 5.1 innings. The southpaw struck out seven in his ninth start of the season.
Bryan King (3-2) tossed 7.0 innings in the win and Zach Rider registered a five-out save for his third stop of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Stephens and King matches zeros thru a third of the game but McNeese struck in the fourth on a sacrifice fly.
The Cowboys added two runs in the sixth and four in the seventh to extend the lead to 7-0.
UNO chipped away in the seventh on a leadoff homer by Howard and an RBI single by Magee. After McNeese tacked on a run in the eighth, the Silver and Blue's plate discipline highlighted a four-run frame to make it 8-6 Cowboys heading into the ninth.
McNeese added an insurance run in the ninth to take game one 9-6.
GAME TWO
Howard went 4-for-4 with three runs, two home runs and three RBI,
Beau Bratton added two hits, two runs and two RBI in the 9-7 setback.
WIN-LOSS RECORD
The Privateers chased Tyler Wesley out of the game after three innings. Cayne Ueckert (3-2) was credited with the win and Aiden Anderson earned his fourth save and second of series in 2.1 scoreless innings.
Brayson Smith (1-2) was charged with the loss after allowing 1.1 innings and five runs – one earned.
Christopher DeMayo tossed 2.0 scoreless innings with three punchouts and
Reeves Martin tossed a scoreless ninth.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Privateers got off to a quick start with a Bratton two-run home run. An error allowed another run to score to put UNO in front 3-0.
Defensive miscues played a part in a seven-run second for the Cowboys to put McNeese ahead 7-3.
Howard continued his torrid day with his first home run of game two and second of day in the fourth. It was his second leadoff home run of the day.
The Cowboys added a run in the fifth, but UNO responded with one in the sixth on a
Jay Robinson RBI groundout.
The seventh-inning stretch gave the Privateer faithful braving the chilly New Orleans weather the first two home run game of the season as Howard blasted his sixth long ball of the season and second of the game, driving in Bratton (single) to make it a one-run ballgame.
A much needed insurance run crossed the plate in the eighth for the visitors.
NEXT UP
New Orleans has another five-game week on the docket, beginning at Jackson State University Tuesday at 6 p.m.
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