UNO rallies past Southern with 6-run 8th inning

NEW ORLEANS – Tristan Moore and Jeissy De la Cruz cranked back-to-back homers and the New Orleans Privateers scored six runs in the eighth to rally back for a 10-9 win against the Southern Jaguars on Wednesday at Maestri Field.

DECISIONS
Jacob Mead got the win after pitching two perfect innings with four strikeouts. The loss went to Drew Lasseigne, his second of the season. Matthew Maldonado bounced back from a rocky start to the ninth to record his second save of the year.

The bottom of the order became the table setters for the Privateers as they entered the eighth trailing 9-4. Anthony Herron Jr. walked and was brought in on a double by Noah Bailey. A single from Issac Williams and a walk by Kasten Furr followed to load the bases.

Tyler Bischke’s two-run single on a 2-2 count sliced the deficit in half. All of that occurred with no outs. Lasseigne induced a double play ball that scored a run but put the Jaguars on the brink of escaping with a narrow lead.

However, Moore came up and cranked a solo homer to right on the first pitch. De la Cruz followed with a 342-foot homer that just snuck over the wall and beyond the reach of Quincy Smith.

Southern had everything their way in the first part of the game as the Jaguars led 8-0 at one point. Starter, Antoine Harris pitched out of some early jams and kept the Privateers off the scoreboard until the fifth when Furr drove in a run on a sac fly and Moore homered for the first time on the night.

The teams traded runs in the sixth, but the Privateer pitchers between Caleb Menina, Keegan Rich, Mead and Maldonado combined to limit the Jaguars to one run on two hits for the last five innings.

New Orleans is now 28-5 at home against Southern in the all-time series with the win. The victory moves Blake Dean to 197 triumphs in his career.

INSIDE THE BOX
Moore had the big night with four hits and two home runs. Herron, Bailey and Williams combined to go 6-for-12 with five runs. Bischke had two hits and two walks on the night. Mead threw 19 of his 27 pitches for strikes as he vanquished four batters at the plate.

Every Southern starter got on base. Jacoby Radcliffe went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Gustavo Nava Sanchez had two hits including a homer and three runs scored.

NEXT UP
The Privateers open a three-game series at home against Mississippi Valley State on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

SOCIAL MEDIA
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