GAME NOTES
NEW ORLEANS – The dawn of a new season is here for 2023. For the New Orleans Privateers it means a trip for an opening weekend series at Kennesaw State. The series starts with a Friday tilt at 4 p.m. EST. Saturday and Sunday contests follow at 2 p.m. and 1 p.m. respectively (all eastern time).
COVERAGE
Friday's game will be on NASH Icon 106.1 FM. Saturday and Sunday will have live audio on UNOPrivateers.com/watch. All games will have video on KSUOwls.com.
PITCHING PROBABLES
FRIDAY-LHP
Tyler LeBlanc (UNO) vs. RHP Nick Zegna (KSU)
SATURDAY-LHP
Brandon Mitchell (UNO) vs. RHP Blake Wehunt (KSU)
SUNDAY-TBA
INSIDE THE SERIES
This is the first time the two teams will meet up on the diamond in program history.
New Orleans, picked fourth in the Southland before the season, returns several key starters on offense.
Kasten Furr,
Tyler Bischke and
Issac Williams were all preseason all-conference selections.
Miguel Useche also returns after a hot finish to his 2022 campaign and a Southland All-Tournament nod.
On the hill,
Tyler LeBlanc who opens the weekend and the season, was the team's leader in strikeouts (74) and co-leader in wins (7) last year. LeBlanc also earned a spot on the all-conference team in the preseason. LeBlanc was especially tough against lefties last year with a .177 opponent batting average.
Blake Dean is about to start his eighth season at the helm with a new look staff.
Phillip Hurst and
Brooks DuBose joined the staff in the offseason. Dean is 11 wins away from notching his 200
th as Privateers head coach.
Last season, the Privateers excelled in several categories: turning double plays and situational hitting. New Orleans turned 56 twin killings last season and led the nation for a good portion of the season in that category.
At the plate, the Privateers were especially masterful with the bases loaded and with two outs. New Orleans hit .429 as a team with the bases full in 84 at-bats. They also produced 137 RBI with two outs last season.
New Orleans is 18-36 all-time against current Atlantic Sun members. The most wins the Privateers have against an A-Sun team is against Jacksonville (six).
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
The Owls were picked to finish second in the Atlantic Sun under second year head coach Ryan Coe. Since 2012, Kennesaw State is 23-13 in opening weekend series.
Though Kennesaw State will be breaking in many new faces (21 in total), they are led by a key returner in Zac Corbin. He was one of five Owls to hit north of .300 last season and he led the team in walks with 35.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow
@PrivateersBSB on Twitter,
@PrivateersBSB on Instagram, like
Privateers Baseball on Facebook and subscribe to the
UNOPrivateers YouTube channel.
