SUGAR LAND, Texas – Head coach
Blake Dean went to his bread and butter after six innings from ace
Bryan Warzek and
John Barr and
Reeves Martin did what we all expect, allowed just one hit as No. 8 University of New Orleans (28-30) moved into the driver's seat, advancing to the semifinals with a 3-1 victory over No. 4 Houston Baptist University (27-29) Thursday evening at Constellation Field to cap off day two of the 2018 Southland Conference Championship.
You could hear the
Zach Thompson bird call, New Orleans' dugout and the Privateer faithful that remained on their feet as the clock surpassed the 11 p.m. Sugar Land noise ordinance that prohibited music or public address. When Martin ended the contest with an emphatic strikeout, UNO clinched a spot in the semifinals on its side of the bracket and will face the winner of the elimination game between Sam Houston State University and HBU tomorrow at 7 p.m.
Should the Privateers win, they would move on to the championship game in a winner-take-all game. The game time depends on both sides of the bracket as it is a double elimination prior to the championship game.
The three-run third, highlighted by
Orynn Veillon's two-run double, was all the run support the Privateers needed as Warzek battled through for six innings of one-run ball, moving up to No. 5 on the single season strikeout charts with 124.
Beau Bratton extended his reached base safely streak to 29 consecutive games.
HEAR POSTGAME REMARKS FROM COACH BLAKE DEAN: https://youtu.be/C23w7lK-Nt0
Barr has thrown 4.0 shutout inning in the tournament to lower his ERA to 1.88 on the year while Martin picked up his ninth save of the season and second in as many days.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Warzek breezed through a 1-2-3 leadoff inning with two punchouts but the Huskies were able to score the game's first run in the second on two hits.
In the third, Tyler Depreta-Johnson and Jonathan Ducoff moved into scoring position on a double steal to put runners on second and third and one out. A 10-pitch battle with Southland Conference Home Run Derby participant Spencer Halloran concluded with the left fielder flying out to
Pearce Howard, who unleashed a cannon to Bratton to double up Depreta-Johnson to end the inning. HBU's shortstop was attempting to advance on the freshman Howard but
Scott Crabtree did not cut off the throw which one-hopped to Bratton to end the top half of the inning.
A one-out
Devin Morrill single was followed with dramatics as what looked to be an easy flyout to Matt Heck dropped for
Darren Willis. Attempting to move to second on the play, the throw looked to beat Devin at the plate but Depreta-Johnson's foot was off the bag, putting runners on the first and second with two outs.
Collin Morrill drove a pitch to right to advance Devin to third but HBU attempted to check if the senior second baseman left the bag early.
The hero in the top half of the inning drew a full count walk to bring home the tying run and leave the bases juiced for Veillon. The center fielder, who was rocking a Throwback Thursday look if Privateer fans remember the cornrows from last season, lasered the Zach Carter pitch for a double to bring home two and put UNO in front 3-1. Bratton drew a walk to extend his reached base streak to 29 consecutive games. Carter, who entered the third with 25 pitches, came out of the third with 62 following the New Orleans three-run inning.
With a two-run lead, Warzek did just what the doctor ordered, cruising through the fifth with a nine-pitch inning. The southpaw battled through the sixth with back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning. Through six, Warzek struck out seven and moved into fifth place in single season strikeouts with 124.
Warzek's evening was complete and Dean summoned Barr, who tossed 2.0 shutout in yesterday's victory over #RV and top seeded Sam Houston State University. With one out and runners on the corners, Barr came up with huge back-to-back strikeouts of Jack Fitzgerald and Depreta-Johnson to end the top half of the seventh with the No. 8 Privateers leading the No. 4 Huskies.
Barr tossed 2.0 additional shutout frames tonight to increase his tournament total to 4.0 total frames with four strikeouts. The right-hander allowed a hit in the two frames. Martin came in and shut the door in the ninth with a punchout to end the game but not before inducing a grounder that ended in a double play due to an illegal slide.
Collin Morrill, Veillon, Bratton,
Devin Morrill and Willis each collected a hit.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Game Notes:
http://unoprivateers.com/sports/2018/2/15/baseball-game-notes.aspx?path=baseball
Listen:
http://unoprivateers.com/watch/
Live Stats:
http://www.sidearmstats.com/uno/baseball/
Watch:
http://www.espn.com/watch/_/id/a4510094-9c5d-444c-b555-0a4edc45ce46/southland-conference-baseball-tournament (ESPN+)
Tickets:
https://www.ticketreturn.com/prod2/team.asp?SponsorID=11585#.WwRwnlMvz-a
Social Media
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YouTube:
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SOCIAL MEDIA
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