Stephen F. Austin
New Orleans
UNO Six-Run Sixth Inning Dooms SFA
3/15/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
UNO 8, SFA 3
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The Stephen F. Austin baseball team got off to a good start on Sunday afternoon at Maestri Field at First NBC Ballpark with three runs in the first inning, but the Lumberjacks couldn't close the deal in an 8-3 loss to New Orleans. With the loss, SFA goes 1-2 against UNO in the weekend series while falling to 6-15 on the season and 1-5 in Southland Conference play.
The `Jacks jumped on UNO starter Daniel Martinez early with three runs on two hits in the opening frame. SFA loaded the bases with nobody out as Matthew Dickey got hit by a pitch, Nick Ramos reached on an infield single and Garrett McMullen got on board after a Privateer error.
Freshman Hunter Wilson drove in the first run of the afternoon on a sacrifice fly to left field, sending Ramos home for the 1-0 lead. Later in the inning with the bases still loaded and two outs, Conner Fikes came through with a two-run single to right-center, bringing McMullen and Dan O'Neill around to score to make it a 3-0 SFA cushion.
The Privateers (8-11, 2-4 SLC) answered with a run in the bottom of the first inning and another in the fifth to make it a 3-2 game heading into the sixth.
It was in the sixth that UNO opened things up with six runs on five hits and one Lumberjack error. Hezekiah Randolph capped the inning with a two-run double to make it an 8-3 ballgame.
SFA only accumulated five hits on the day, with two coming at the hands of Kyle Thornell. The designated hitter recorded a double and a triple but was stranded in both instances.
Ryan Calloway led the Privateers at the plate with three hits, three runs and an RBI while Jordan Priddle (4-1) got the win on the mound after tossing six scoreless innings of relief and fanning six batters.
Jarred Greene had a nice outing for SFA on the mound, allowing two runs on six hits and striking out four in five complete innings. Austin Smith (0-2) was pegged with the loss after giving up three runs - two earned - on two hits while recording one out in the sixth inning.
The Lumberjacks will next take to the diamond against Kansas State on Tuesday and Wednesday for 6:30 p.m. first pitches at Jaycees Field.
-SFA-
