UNO Falls Just Short in Title Game

Privateer CF Orynn Veillon

After beginning by upsetting the tournament's #1 seed, dropping a winner's bracket game to Houston Baptist in the wee hours of Saturday morning, then coming back to beat HBU on Saturday afternoon, the Privateers finally fell to Northwestern State, 7-5, in the tournament title game.

With its entire pitching staff running on empty, New Orleans went to Bryan Warzek, who threw 110 pitches in Thursday's victorious start, but Warzek was roughed up early as the Demons took a 4-2 lead in the second.  NWST extended the lead to 5-2 before the Privateers fought back with a three-run fifth to tie the score.

William Griffin extended himself way beyond his comfort level in relief, pitching effectively over 4 2/3 innings and 79 pitches in his first appearance of the tournament. But Griffin was taken deep in the seventh by David Fry, the SLC Player of the Year, and the Demons retook the lead at 6-5.  Northwestern State added another run that inning to conclude the game's scoring.

Orynn Veillon concluded the season with a 3-RBI performance, keeping the Privateers in the hunt all night. UNO finished 29-32.

Halfway There: Privateers 2-0 in SLC Tourney

Veillon's two-RBI double
provided the winning margin

The lowest seed in the Southland Conference baseball tournament continues to surprise, as the upstart Privateers knocked off Houston Baptist 3-1 in a winner's bracket game on Thursday evening.

Bryan Warzek wasn't his sharpest but fought through trouble at numerous points, pitching six quality innings and surrendering just one run. In the bottom of the third inning, Pearce Howard walked with the bases loaded to tie the game at 1-1.  Then, Orynn Veillon crushed a double to the wall in left field to plate two more, and that improbably ended the scoring for the evening.

John Barr pitched his second consecutive scoreless two-inning relief stint, setting up Reeves Martin's second consecutive save.

New Orleans now gets to sit back and watch Houston Baptist and Sam Houston burn some more pitching at noon Friday before the winner of that game takes on the Bucs sometime Friday evening.  The HBU-SHSU winner will have to beat UNO twice in order to reach the tournament championship game.

On the other side of the bracket, Northwestern State sits in the driver's seat after rallying to defeat Southeastern Louisiana, 5-1.  SLU and Nicholls will start tomorrow's proceedings with a 9 a.m. elimination contest.

Official box score
Discussion forum tournament thread

Privateers Upset Top-Seeded Bearkats

Bratton's two-run triple tied the
game in the 8th inning on Wednesday

In game one of the Southland Conference baseball tournament in Sugar Land, Texas, the tournament's lowest seed, #8 New Orleans, sprung an upset on top-seeded Sam Houston in 10 innings, 4-3.

Unable to start ace lefty Bryan Warzek, the Privateers faced even longer odds than one might see in an 8/1 game. Warzek, who did not throw until this past Saturday due to weather complications, was not fully rested by the start of the SLC Tournament. New Orleans had to rely on the volatile John Michael Stephens, who has been the team's most up-and-down performer.

Fortunately, UNO got the good version tonight, and his seven strong innings against the formidable Bearkats put the Bucs in position to win. Still, New Orleans was down 3-1 in the eighth until Beau Bratton's two-run triple tied it up.  The Privateers got it to extras, when they were able to scrape across one more run via Cody Ducote's sac fly.

After some quality relief work from John Barr, Reeves Martin shut the door on SHSU in the 10th and the Privateers had the victory.

New Orleans will play tomorrow night at 7:00ish against Houston Baptist, who defeated Central Arkansas 14-4.

Official box score
Discussion forum tournament thread