Lamar Blasts UNO in Sweep

The Lamar Cardinals swept the injury-plagued Privateers (8-15, 2-7) on Friday and Saturday at Maestri Field.

After winning the first game 8-1, the Cardinals hung on in the first game of Saturday's twin bill 5-4. UNO's Dane Landry lifted a home run over the right field fence in the bottom of the ninth to cut the lead to one, but New Orleans could come no closer.  The second game of the doubleheader was not close, as UNO was mercy-ruled by a massive 17-2 score

The Privateers next take on NAIA Loyola at Maestri Field on Tuesday night.

USM Nips UNO in Extra Innings

Jonathan Coco drove in two
runs for the Privateers

Southern Miss avenged an earlier home loss to New Orleans on Tuesday night, edging the Privateers (8-12) in 11 innings at Maestri Field, 6-5.

USM scored two runs in the 10th inning, but UNO came back with two of their own in the bottom of the frame.  But in the next inning, Privateer reliever Hunter Medine (0-2) surrendered two hits, and Nick Halliday gave up a sac fly off the bat of Breck Kline that brought home the Golden Eagles' eventual winning run.

New Orleans returns to conference play this Friday night at Maestri Field against the Lamar Cardinals.

Privateers Win First SLC Series

The Privateers (8-11, 2-4) won their first baseball conference series since joining the league in 2013-14, taking two games out of three from Stephen F. Austin at Maestri Field over the weekend.

On Friday night, New Orleans rallied from a 2-0 deficit, pulling out a three-run eighth for the 3-2 victory. Pitching in relief of an unusually wild (6 walks) but still somewhat effective Shawn Semple, Seth Laigast and Darron McKigney were each very effective, keeping the game in range for the late comeback.

On Saturday, SFA's Dillon Mangham, who entered the game with a 7.71 ERA, tossed a complete game four-hit shutout, baffling a Privateer team that made little solid contact throughout the afternoon.

On Sunday, entering the sixth inning, New Orleans had accumulated only five runs in 23 innings against a suspect Lumberjack pitching staff. They beat that total in the sixth inning alone, turning a 3-2 deficit into an 8-3 lead that held up for the remainder of the game. After SFA scored three runs in the top of the first, Jordan Priddle relieved Daniel Martinez for UNO and threw six masterful shutout innings to earn the victory.

UNO Eliminated by TAMU-CC, 61-58

Thibodeaux made an impact
for the Privateers in Katy

With a third loss to the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders in the 2014-15 season, the Privateers were eliminated from the Southland Conference tournament on Thursday, 61-58. New Orleans concluded the season with an 11-18 record.

Nate Frye was the only Privateer in double-digits with 20 points. Travin Thibodeaux had 12 rebounds after a career-high 15 points the previous evening against Nicholls.

The Privateers had a four-point overtime loss and a two-point loss to the Islanders in the regular season.

Official box score

UNO Advances in SLC Tournament

Kevin Brown's sharp shooting
led the way for the Privateers

Playing in its first Division I postseason game since 2010, the Privateers knocked out the Nicholls Colonels, 82-73, in the first round of the Southland tournament in Katy, Texas.

New Orleans lost both games to the Colonels in the regular season, but won when it counted most behind senior Kevin Brown's 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting. UNO trailed 42-39 at the half but rallied and maintained a close lead for much of the second half before pulling away late, despite Nicholls' 12 three-pointers.

Next up for UNO will be Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 7:30 Thursday evening. The Islanders also beat the Privateers twice in the regular season.

McNeese State outlasted Southeastern Louisiana in overtime in the first game of the tournament, and they will take on Northwestern State before UNO's game on Thursday.

Official box score
Forum discussion

PI Podcast #23: Tourney Preview + More

We lead off with a brief discussion of the suddenly interesting UNO women's basketball program, which improbably won six of its final nine contests of 2014-15 after six wins in the previous four seasons combined.

Following that is a preview of the Southland Conference men's basketball tournament. The Privateers' Wednesday night first round matchup with Nicholls is dissected, as well as the rest of the draw should they advance.

At the 25:50 mark, we summarize the baseball team through the first 16 games and evaluate their chances in the Southland after getting swept on opening weekend at Sam Houston.

UNO Falls at NW State, is #7 Seed

Brown had 19 for UNO

The Privateers completed their regular season at 10-17 and 6-12 in the Southland, falling in the finale at Northwestern State, 88-78.  Senior Kevin Brown led New Orleans with 19 points. Kevin Hill and Terrance Syon each posted double-doubles, Hill with 12/11 and Syon with 11/12.

UNO is the seventh seed in the Southland Conference Tournament, beginning Wednesday in Katy, Texas. The Privateers will tip off at 7:30 p.m. They will play Nicholls.

Official box score

Privateers Swept at SHSU

Preston Marsh knocked in
the day's only runs for UNO

The Privateers (6-10, 0-3) were blown out 11-0 in game one of Saturday's doubleheader, then rallied to tie the nightcap at 2-2 in the ninth inning before falling in the tenth, 3-2.

Preston Marsh's 2-RBI single tied the contest in the top of the ninth, but Mitchell Alexander grounded into a double play with two runners on to end the rally, and the Privateers would surrender the winning run an inning later.

Official box score (game 1)
Official box score (game 2)
Forum discussion

SHSU Crushes Privateers in Opener

The Privateers (6-8, 0-1) started their Southland Conference schedule with a thud Friday night, dropping a 12-4 decision at Sam Houston State.

Travis Lee, Trevor Winne, and Dylan Ebbs combined to go 7-for-7 with 9 RBIs for the Bearkats, and Spence Rahm went 3-for-5. Alex Smith surrendered nine runs and took the loss, though only two of those runs were earned. New Orleans committed four errors.

Ryan Calloway, Jay Robinson, and Chaz Boyer had two hits apiece for UNO, who will play Sam Houston in a doubleheader Saturday in anticipation of inclement weather on Sunday.

Official box score
Forum discussion

UNO Finishes Sweep of SLU, Barely

Nate Frye had a career high

The Privateers (10-16, 6-11) completed their home schedule on Thursday night with a 85-79 triumph over Southeastern Louisiana. New Orleans trailed by two in the first half before ripping off a 13-0 run and building the lead to 23 in the second half.

The Lions rallied late with a 29-8 run of their own to cut the lead back to two, but they ran out of time. Cedric Jenkins led SLU with a whopping 39 points.

UNO was led by Nate Frye, who hit six three-pointers and notched a career high with 24 points. Kevin Hill added 15.

Privateers Maul Sacred Heart, 13-1

OF Ryan Calloway

With the opening of Southland Conference play looming on Friday, the Privateers (6-7) poured it on Sacred Heart on Tuesday night at Maestri Field, 13-1. New Orleans was propelled by 17 hits, led by Ryan Calloway's 4-for-5 night.

Hezekiah Randolph went 3-for-3, and Chaz Boyer 3-for-4. Boyer put an exclamation mark on the evening with a grand slam pulled hard down the right field line in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Next up for UNO is a road weekend series at Sam Houston State beginning on Friday.

Official box score
Forum discussion

Nicholls Bests UNO in Overtime

Terrance Syon's double-double
wasn't enough for UNO on Monday

The Privateers (9-16, 5-11) rallied to force overtime, but back-to-back Sam McBeath threes to open the extra frame buried New Orleans, who fell 89-79 to the Colonels at Lakefront Arena.  T.J. Carpenter had a huge 28-point effort for Nicholls.

Christavious Gill led UNO with 25 points, and Nate Frye added 16. Terrance Syon had 15 points and 16 rebounds in the losing effort.

New Orleans concludes its home schedule on Thursday night against Southeastern Louisiana.

UNO Salvages One Vs. Blue Raiders

Sam Carriere (foreground) and Hezekiah
Randolph (background) were two of five
Privateers with two hits on Sunday

The Privateers (5-7) secured one win in five tough games this week, blasting former Sun Belt rival Middle Tennessee, 8-2. New Orleans' offense generated 12 hits to support a fine start by veteran Alex Smith (2-1), who tossed six innings without surrendering an earned run.

Official box score

The win was a much needed one for the Privateers, who fell 2-1 on Friday night in a frustrating 12-inning affair.  Shawn Semple and the bullpen pitched well enough to win, but the UNO offense was stymied, much as they were earlier in the week in consecutive shutouts against Tulane and also on Saturday against the Blue Raiders. In that Saturday contest, New Orleans was routed 15-2, giving up an eight-spot in the sixth inning along the way.

Official box score (Friday)
Official box score (Saturday)

UNO's next baseball contest will be at Maestri Field on Tuesday night against Sacred Heart, a tune-up for the Southland conference opener at Sam Houston later in the week.