NEW ORLEANS – The University of New Orleans will begin its 2019 baseball season with a visit from power-five opponent Michigan State for a three-game set starting Friday at Maestri Field, first pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Saturday is slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch and Sunday's series finale is set for a 12 p.m. start.
The meeting on Friday will be the first between the programs.
Live audio and video ($) will be available on
unoprivateers.com for all three games this weekend with
Emmanuel Pepis on the call.
ABOUT NEW ORLEANS
The Privateers are coming off a 2018 season that saw them reach the Southland Conference Championship game, but UNO fell to Northwestern State 7-5.
New Orleans will have three starters from last year's squad back this season. Preseason Conference selections
Beau Bratton (first team) and
Pearce Howard (second team) highlight the guys that are back.
Bratton, finished 2018 hitting .315 with 12 doubles, five triples, and 41 RBI. The junior brings a 32-game reached base safely streak into 2019.
Howard finished an impressive freshman campaign with a .288 batting average with seven homers, 11 doubles, 38 runs batted in, and added seven outfield assists. The sophomore is the only returning outfielder from last year's team.
ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE
The Spartans finished up the 2018 season with 20-32 record and are returning a pair of top hitters. Danny Gleaves finished with a .272 average, with 31 hits, and three triples in 41 games last year. Bryce Kelley followed with a .271 clip with 54 hits, six doubles, and was second on the team in walks with 20.
WEEKEND MATCH-UPS
Friday:
Steven Swift vs. Mason Elra (6-4, 3.73 ERA)
Saturday:
Chris Turpin (5-2, 54.0 IP, 51 K's) vs. Mike Mokma (2-5, 4.66 ERA)
Sunday: TBA vs. Indigo Diaz (11-1, 1.52 ERA)
SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow
@Privateers_BSB on Twitter,
@Privateers_BSB on Instagram, like
/PrivateersBSB on Facebook and subscribe to the
PrivateerAthletics YouTube channel.
