Reeves Martin breaks UNO career saves record as Privateers rally past Jaguars

NEW ORLEANS – The Privateers scored three runs in the eighth inning and Reeves Martin shut the door in the ninth to take sole possession atop the saves list in UNO history as the University of New Orleans (14-10) defeated Southern University (14-10) 9-6 Tuesday evening at Maestri Field.

Martin struck out two in the ninth for his 19th career save on the Lakefront. It was his seventh save in as many tries this season.

COACH DEAN ON REEVES MARTIN
“Kudos to Reeves,” said head coach Blake Dean. “What he did shows what kind of player he is. He’s a competitor; one of the most competitive I’ve been around. To do what he’s done is pretty special.”

REEVES MARTIN
“The guys set the tone for me tonight and those three runs in the eighth were big,” said Reeves Martin. “To hold the record at a historic place like UNO is an honor. It means a lot to me.”

ABOUT THE OFFENSE
Offensively, the Privateers blasted three home runs, beginning with Pearce Howard’s solo shot in the first, Tresten Kennard’s solo blast in the second and Beau Bratton two-run shot in the sixth. Bratton and Kennard combined for four hits, four runs, and four RBI, Salo Iza drove home two in the eighth and Brayden Morrow finished 2-for-4. Every UNO starter recorded a base knock in the victory.

COACH DEAN ON THE OFFENSE
“The three home runs powered our offense, but it was good to see everyone get a hit,” said Dean. “It was great to see Beau get going.”

HOW IT HAPPENED
Southern scored three runs in the leadoff inning but the Privateers got one back on the solo blast off the bat of Pearce Howard in the bottom frame.

Brayson Smith entered the game and caught Courtland Simoneaux stealing as the leadoff man in the second looked to move into scoring position. The top half of the inning ended with a Javeyan Williams bunt that was ruled out due to interference.

Kennard made it a one-run ballgame with his first home run as a Privateer in the bottom of the second.

The Privateers turned a beautiful double play in the third behind a diving stop by Darren Willis. However, the Jaguars tacked on a run on a fielding error for a 4-2 lead.

Smith tossed 2.0 innings, allowing the unearned run on the UNO error after Steven Swift’s 1.0 inning.

Gaige Howard and Kennard recorded back-to-back singles to put the tying run on first with one out in the fourth. Moments later, Morrow recorded his second base knock to bring home Gaige Howard and move Kennard to third. On the next pitch, Kennard scored as John Guienze Jr.’s wild pitch passed Hunter David to tie the game at 4-4.

Southern regained its lead in the fifth with an unearned run and followed with another in the sixth, but Willis limited the damage, throwing out Malik Blaise to end the frame.

The Privateers erased their deficit with a two-run blast off the bat of Bratton in the bottom of the sixth. Luther Woullard led off the frame with a single and the two-out long ball was Bratton’s first of the season.

That would remain the score as Luke Bradley, Mathew Oset and John Barr tossed scoreless innings in relief. Oset struck out two in his inning of work.

In the eighth, Kennard drove home the go-ahead run to give the Privateers their first lead of the ballgame. Iza ripped a two-out single to center field to add two insurance runs for UNO.

Martin shut the door in the ninth for his seventh save in as many chances and the 19th of his career, setting a program record.

WIN-LOSS RECORDS
Barr (2-2) was credited with the victory in a scoreless eighth and Jerome Bohannon III (1-2) was charged with the loss after giving up the three eighth-inning runs.

NEXT UP
The Privateers resume Southland Conference play in San Antonio against the University of the Incarnate Word this weekend.

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