FRISCO, Texas – The New Orleans Privateers have been selected to finish ninth in the preseason Southland Poll by the conference coaches and sports information directors. The poll was released on Thursday morning.
New Orleans just missed out on the Southland tournament in 2019 but finished the year on a strong note. The Privateers went 8-4 over their last 12 conference games to close the regular season and won four one-run games in that stretch.
The Privateers return nearly their whole lineup from a year ago. Six position players who started last season are back for 2020. That number stretches to seven with
Gaige Howard who served as the team's primary designated hitter last year. Howard was Third Team All-Southland and preseason All-Southland heading into this year according to Perfect Game.
Five pitchers return from last year's staff.
Chris Turpin and
Brandon Mitchell were weekend starters for the Privateers last season.
Cortlynn Ramirez was the primary midweek starter in '19.
Christopher DeMayo and
Bailey Holstein served multiple roles in last year's pitching staff.
Also back is
Eric Orze who redshirted last year while battling and defeating cancer. Orze is in his final season on the Lakefront.
The coaching staff sees a couple of returns to the Lakefront. Pitching coach,
A.J. Battisto is back after a stint at North Carolina Central. Also, Privateer alum,
Hezekiah Randolph (2017) comes back to the Maestri Field dugout as a volunteer assistant.
Head coach,
Blake Dean is about to begin his fifth season at the helm. The former LSU standout has 119 wins over his first four years. His 100
th victory came last March when the Privateers defeated the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns in Lafayette.
The season starts with the Andre Dawson Classic on Feb. 14 against Southern. First pitch is at Maestri Field for 6:30 p.m.
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