SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The New Orleans Privateers baseball team (19-21) delivered a game-sealing fifth inning in a 20-12 victory over the Missouri State Bears (13-26) on Saturday at Hammons Field.
The Privateers busted the game open with a 12-run fifth inning to take the lead for good. New Orleans cranked out six hits and took advantage of two errors, three walks, and two hit batters.
Reeves Martin threw the final three innings and picked up his 11
th save of the season.
WIN-LOSS
Mathew Oset (5-1) picked up the win. He went 2.1 innings as the first call out of the bullpen. The loss was taken by Nick Schmidt (0-3).
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Privateers got the early jump with three runs in the first. Two walks and a single loaded the bases with no outs against Bears starter, Forrest Barnes. An RBI groundout put the first Privateer run on the board.
Gaige Howard then followed with a two-run single to left-center. Barnes was pulled after 0.2 innings.
Missouri State responded with a seven-run second. It all started on a two-run homer delivered by Joey Polak. Three batters later, Jack Duffy delivered an RBI single that tied the score. Missouri State went ahead on a stolen base and ensuing throwing error. The Bears wound up sending 11 batters to the plate in the frame.
In a wild early going, New Orleans stormed back to take an 8-7 lead in the third. The Privateers plated five runs on just two hits as Missouri State pitchers, Davis Schwab and Nate Witherspoon combined to issue five consecutive walks (four with the bases loaded).
The lead was short lived though as Missouri State came back for two runs in their half of the third inning. There were three lead changes in just the first three innings that led up to the decisive inning for New Orleans.
INSIDE THE BOX
Eight of nine Privateer starters scored a run. Gaige went 3-for-6 with four RBI.
Luther Woullard was 2-for-5 with a double, three RBI, and two runs. New Orleans drew 14 walks, one shy of a season high and moved to 4-0 this season when being issued at least 10 free passes in a game.
Collin Morrill,
Wade Raburn, and
Pearce Howard all scored three runs apiece.
NEXT UP
The Privateers will return home on Apr. 24 to take on the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
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