Privateers Fall Into Early Hole in Loss to Loyola

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NEW ORLEANS, La. – The New Orleans Privateers baseball team (8-16, 2-7 Southland) gave up a six-run inning in an 8-4 loss to the Loyola Wolfpack (18-18, 5-13 SSAC) on Tuesday night at Maestri Field at First NBC Ballpark.
 
The Privateers got an early run when Ryan Calloway scored on an RBI ground out off the bat of Jonathan Coco in the first. However, Loyola busted through with six runs in the third inning that started on three consecutive singles. An RBI fielder's choice by Rawlings Elam tied the game at 1-1.
 
With Allen Newman batting next, the Privateers got a line out into a double play but it was called back on catcher's interference. The inning continued and John Nicholson and Alexander Lorenzo each provided two-run knocks to push the Loyola lead to 6-1.
 
"Congratulations to them. They played hard and Doug does a great job. They just beat us. That inning, we don't cover first, we have a double play ball and we don't get it. We've got to re-group and that's all it is," said Coach Ron Maestri.
 
The Privateers tried to mount a rally in the middle innings, scoring one in the fourth when a ground ball with bases loaded turned into an error on Nicholson. Stewart Campbell came back to record a strike out and get a line out double play to end the threat with minimal damage.
 
Trailing 7-2, New Orleans plated two in the fifth on back-to-back RBI singles. That's when Coach Doug Faust made a call to the pen for Connor Thurman who came in and retired the next three batters to preserve the lead. Thurman pitched the final five innings and picked up the win.
 
Hezekiah Randolph and Jay Robinson each picked up two hits for the Privateers. Randolph also drove in a run and scored a run. Calloway drew a pair of walks and scored a run. Coco and Preston Marsh each added an RBI.
 
For the Wolfpack, Alexander Lorenzo drove in three runs while Luis Angiuzola added three hits to the cause. Nicholson was 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs. The Wolfpack earned their first win over the Privateers since 1972.
 
New Orleans is back in action this weekend with a three-game series on the horizon against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. First pitch for the series opener on Friday is at 6:30 p.m.
 
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