Islanders blank Privateers, 2-0, in series opener

NEW ORLEANS – Colton Mercer matched his longest outing of the season but the New Orleans Privateers were held off the scoreboard in a 2-0 loss to the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders on Friday night at Maestri Field.

Mercer went seven innings with six strikeouts to just one walk and pounded the strike zone to the tune of 71 strikes in 102 pitches. However, the Islanders broke through for a pair of runs in the fourth inning.

Garrett Gruell doubled to begin the inning. After a bunt and a strikeout, the Privateers were close to getting out of trouble but Chance Reisdorph singled to center, which brought in the first run of the game. Two batters later, Mason Persons followed with an RBI single of his own.

New Orleans looked to respond in the fifth inning when they loaded the bases with two outs. Islanders starter, Matthew Watson came back with a strikeout to end the threat though as he picked up his second win of the season.

From there, the Privateers did not get a baserunner on from the sixth through the eighth inning. Alexander Saunier then came up and ripped a double with two outs in the ninth to bring the tying run to the plate.

Riely Hunsaker recorded a strikeout though to end the game as he pitched the last three innings for his first save of the year.

INSIDE THE BOX
Ryan Delorbe threw two shutout innings in relief and got out of a jam in the eighth when he stranded three Islanders. Victor Castillo had two hits and a walk, which came after a 10-pitch at-bat. Saunier and Mitchell Sanford each had a hit.

Reisdorph and Cole Modgling combined for four of the Islanders’ 10 hits on the night. Watson and Hunsaker combined for nine strikeouts.

NEXT UP
The series continues with a 2 p.m. first pitch on Saturday.