NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Privateers baseball team (28-25, 12-15) will look to secure a spot in the Southland tournament in their final weekend series against the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (22-30, 14-13). The series starts on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Jaycees Field.
The Privateers need a sweep to lock up a spot in the tournament. Two wins would create a tiebreaker scenario.
The lone midweek contest for New Orleans was a 7-5 loss to LSU on Tuesday.
Antonio Gauthier Jr. became the first Privateer to have a multi-home run game this season and the first since
Pearce Howard on Apr. 15, 2018.
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Thursday: LHP
Brandon Mitchell (3-3, 5.67) vs RHP Alex Palmer (5-6, 2.63)
Friday: RHP
Chris Turpin (5-4, 4.28) vs RHP Trayson Kubo (2-3, 5.88)
Saturday: TBA vs LHP Jacob Stobart (6-3, 6.29)
QUICK HITS
- Darren Willis is hitting .394 in eight May games. The junior shortstop is 13-for-33 at the plate with seven RBI.
- New Orleans has not lost a game this season when leading after six innings (17-0).
- Collin Morrill hit his seventh home run overall and his second to lead off a game last Sunday vs. HBU. Morrill went 11-for-21 in the four games last week. His 18 doubles and 52 runs scored lead the conference. His 109 total bases rank tenth in the Southland entering the weekend.
- The Privateers and Lumberjacks have played eight games against each other on the diamond. New Orleans has won five of the eight meetings but the run totals are near identical. New Orleans has 51 runs to Stephen F. Austin's 49.
ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
- One win would clinch the Lumberjacks' spot in the Southland Conference tournament. Stephen F. Austin started the conference slate by winning their first seven games. Since then, they've gone 7-13 against conference foes. The Lumberjacks lost two of three last weekend against Nicholls.
- Alex Palmer has been tough to hit for many opponents this season. The regular Friday starter has gone at least six innings in 12 consecutive starts. His 91 strikeouts rank second in the league heading into the weekend, only trailing Sam Houston State's Hayden Wesneski. Twice, Palmer has recorded at least 10 strikeouts in a game. His single game high was 13 in a start against Portland.
- Manny Vasquez leads the team in doubles (13) and has five of the squad's 16 home runs on the year. Vasquez is hitting .251 which ranks second on the team.
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