GAME NOTES
NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Privateers will open their 24-game Southland Conference schedule on Friday when they start a three-game series against the defending champion, Nicholls Colonels. First pitch for the series opener is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Didier Field.
New Orleans (10-10) put up 16 runs including eight in the first inning of a 16-5 win against Jackson State on Wednesday night. The Privateers handed the Tigers just their fifth loss of the season. In six wins against Jackson State under
Blake Dean, the Privateers have scored 98 runs.
In 49 career games before New Orleans,
Mitchell Sanford stole a total of three bases. In 80 games as a Privateer, Sanford has 12 steals. This season he is a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen base attempts. Sanford had a 4-for-4 night on Wednesday, raising his batting average to .395 for the year.
Miguel Useche has drawn 20 walks this season, fourth most in the Southland. On top of that, he has nearly half as many strikeouts (11) on the season. Useche earns the third best walk-to-strikeout ratio in the Southland entering the weekend.
The Privateers will match up with defending regular season and tournament champion, Nicholls. It's the first time since 2015 (Sam Houston State) the Privateers opened conference play against the defending regular season champion. The last defending postseason champion they opened conference play against was Western Kentucky (2005).
Coming into the weekend New Orleans has a strength of schedule of 95, which is second best in the Southland heading into conference play. McNeese leads with a strength of schedule of 9. At this time last season, New Orleans was 11-9 and played two teams that had a non-conference strength of schedule outside the top 200 (Brown, Alabama State).
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
Nicholls (17-7) is on a four-game slide after winning 17 of their first 20 games of the season. The Colonels came up on the short end of a 6-4 decision on Wednesday against Louisiana Tech.
Edgar Alvarez has been the leader for an offense that's hitting .325 as a team. Alvarez has 39 hits, 31 RBI, 12 doubles and 65 total bases. He leads the Southland in all those categories.
Jacob Mayers is tops in the conference in opponent batting average. Opponents are hitting just .141 against Mayers this season. He has conceded 11 hits in 24.2 innings.
WE ARE YOUR KREWE
For 54 seasons, Privateer student-athletes have had the unique experience of wearing New Orleans across their chests. Like the city itself, our sports teams have been fueled by resiliency, grit, and the unquenchable desire to win. Our city also houses the nation's biggest celebration each year. And much like a Mardi Gras parade krewe, we are tethered to our community through pride, tradition, a culture of acceptance, and finally our commitment to show that New Orleans is a world-class city to live, learn, play and work. We invite you to become more involved with the only University that truly represents New Orleans all day, every day. Join #NOLAsTeam, We Are Your Krewe!
Visit UNOPrivateers.com/signup to stay connected and follow us @UNOPrivateers on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
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