Privateers rally to take walk-off win over UIC on opening night in 10 innings

NEW ORLEANS – The Privateer bullpen held UIC to just one hit in 4.2 innings and the University of New Orleans (1-0) rallied from a 4-2 deficit to take a 5-4 victory over the University of Illinois-Chicago (1-1) in 10 innings Friday evening at Maestri Field.

Day one of the Andre Dawson Classic saw the Privateers improve to 10-0 in the MLB Urban Youth Academy Invitational/Andre Dawson Classic.

UNO completed the comeback in the 10th inning after Beau Bratton doubled to right center and later, advanced to third on a wild pitch. Darren Willis followed with the winning hit sailing past a drawn-in Flames infield.

Owen Magee finished 3-of-5 with an RBI and three others collected two hits apiece – Cody Ducote, John Thomas Mauldin and Willis. All nine hitters tallied a base knock in the 14-hit performance.

Matthew Oset (1-0) struck out three in 2.0 innings to earn the win and Charlie Cerny (0-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing five hits and the game-winning run in 2.1 innings. William Griffin tossed 2.2 shutout innings in relief.

Neither starter would factor into the decision as southpaw Bryan Warzek struck out eight Flames in 5.1 innings and UIC right-hander Reid Birlingmair allowed two runs in six innings, and fanned nine.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Privateers would open up the scoring in the third after Ducote drove in Jared McKay, who began the inning with a walk.

UIC took the lead after scoring three in the fourth but the Privateers got one back in the bottom frame as Bratton brought home Jacob McFadden on a fielder’s choice.

The Flames added a run in the sixth for a 4-2 lead but the Blue and Silver knotted things at 4. Jay Robinson drew a leadoff walk and scored on Collin Morrill’s double to deep center field. Two batters later, Magee tied the game with a single to plate Morrill.

In the 10th, Bratton doubled to put the winning run in scoring position and scored on Willis’ walk-off single.

WHAT’S NEXT
New Orleans heads to Wesley Barrow Stadium tomorrow to take on Alabama State University in a nationally-televised game. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. on MLB Network and MLB.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA
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