Stuprich shuts out UNO, pitches Southeastern back into tie for first in SLC

NEW ORLEANS, La. – Southeastern Louisiana freshman Brennan Stuprich scattered four hits Sunday on his way to shutting out New Orleans, 7-0, in Southland Conference action at Maestri Field, helping push the Lions into a first-place tie with the Privateers.

Stuprich (5-1) got stronger as the game wore on, retiring 12 consecutive batters before surrendering a two-out single in the ninth inning. He retired the next batter, the Privateer cleanup hitter, on a shallow pop-up to center field to close out it. The right-hander from Kenner, Louisiana needed exactly 100 pitches to finish the game, walking one and striking out five batters.

The Lions (25-15, 18-10 SLC) took the lead in the third inning. Designated hitter Rhett Rosevear led off the inning with a triple over the head of the center fielder, scoring on Nick Ray’s sacrifice fly to right field.

Jacob Burke and Eli Johnson combined to produce a two-out run in the fourth. Burke pulled a double inside the third-base bag and scored on Johnson’s RBI single to center.

The Lions added two more in the fifth. Evan Keller kept the inning alive with a two-out single over the head of the first baseman. Tyler Finke worked a walk, putting a pair on for Christian Garcia’s double down the third-base line. Keller and Finke both scored, chasing UNO reliever Josh Cerejo from the game.

Burke started a three-run rally in the eighth, blasting a solo home run off the scoreboard in left-center. The one-out blast was his team-leading sixth of the season. Johnson followed with a double, chasing reliever Rudy Amaya.

Johnson advanced to third on a wild pitch before reliever Matt Delcambre hit Rosevear with a pitch, putting runners on the corners. Ray laid down a bunt, squeezing home Johnson. Rosevear stole third before Bryce Grizzaffi worked a walk. Keller then produced his fourth hit of the game, an RBI single to left field.

Four Lions turned in multi-hit games, including Keller (4-for-5), Burke (3-for-4), Garcia (2-for-5) and Johnson (2-for-5).

Stuprich’s shutout is the first nine-inning complete game by a Lion pitcher since Corey Gaconi shut out Sam Houston, May 10, 2019, in the series opener at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.

RADIO SHOW
The next episode of Inside Southeastern Baseball with Matt Riser, presented by Blackened Brew, airs Monday at 12 p.m. from the restaurant in downtown Hammond. Fans can listen to every show on KSLU 90.9 FM, online at www.LionSports.net/ListenLive and via either the Lions Gameday Experience or TuneIn Radio apps. The one-hour show airs every Monday during the baseball season.

UP NEXT
Southeastern, which takes the next week off from competition, returns to the diamond May 4 against Southern Miss in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

UNO (23-17, 18-10 SLC) heads to McNeese for a Southland series next weekend.

[contentcards url=”https://crescentcitysports.com/privateers-sweep-doubleheader-from-lions-to-take-ponchartrain-bowl-southland-lead/” target=”_blank”]