GAME NOTES
NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Privateers will hit the road for a long trip to the Island. This weekend, they face the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders in a three-game series beginning Friday at 7 p.m. All games will be carried on ESPN+.
ROTATION
FRIDAY: UNO-RHP BEAU BLANCHARD VS. AMCC-RHP MATTHEW WATSON
SATURDAY: UNO-LHP BRANDON MITCHELL VS. AMCC-RHP COLLIN PURCELL
SUNDAY: UNO-LHP COLTON MERCER VS. AMCC-LHP EVANS HENDRICKS
New Orleans is coming off a 10-0 win over Dillard at Maestri Field on Tuesday night. Seven pitchers combined to hold the Bleu Devils to two hits. It was the first combined two-hitter since 2017 when New Orleans did it against Grambling.
The Privateers (20-13, 5-4) swept Southeastern for the first time in program history and won a one-run game to close the series. New Orleans has gone 3-0 in games decided by a run this season.
New Orleans pitchers have collectively held opponents in check of late. In the last nine games, opponents are batting just .216 against Privateer pitching. Teams have been held to 58 hits over 75 innings in that stretch.
The Privateers have 73 RBI with two outs heading into the weekend. Three Privateers are already in double digits in that category:
Mitchell Sanford (12),
Issac Williams (10) and
Jorge Tejeda (10).
New Orleans has nine victories by double digit runs this season. That total is second most in a single season in program history. Only the 1979 team had more (13).
Blake Dean has 26 wins by double digits in his coaching career.
The Privateers have enjoyed a big advantage in the series. New Orleans is 16-7 all-time against the Islanders and 15-3 since Coach Dean took over in 2016. The Privateers are 9-1 in Corpus Christi.
Texas A&M-CC (14-20, 2-4) is coming off an 11-2 midweek loss against UTRGV. The Islanders have hit well this season. They lead the Southland in batting average heading into the weekend at .299.
Leading the charge is Brendan Ryan who is hitting .370 with eight doubles, seven triples, four home runs and 26 RBI to go along with 12 stolen bases. Six regular starters are hitting over .300 for the Islanders coming into the weekend.
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