NEW ORLEANS – Darren Willis blasted a two-run walk-off home run in the front end of a doubleheader and Kyle Khachadourian pitched a seven-inning complete game as they won 11-10 and 8-2 against the HBU Huskies on Saturday at Maestri Field.
The Privateers collected 27 hits between both games with 12 going for extra bases as they secured the series victory.
WALKOFF WILLIS
Willis drilled the first pitch he saw in the ninth inning over the left field fence against Andrew Reitmeyer to finish the comeback from a game where the Privateers trailed by as many as six after the top of the second.
GOING THE DISTANCE
Khachadourian followed up with the second complete game by a Privateer pitcher on the weekend. Khachadourian started out strong as he got around a pair of two-out singles in the first inning. The first run scored on an error in the second but Khachadourian responded by retiring nine of the next ten batters. Khachadourian threw 81 pitches in his first complete game with 60 going for strikes.
PITCHERS DELIVER IN BIG SPOTS
Connor Macip came in with the bases loaded and one out and the Privateers facing a 6-0 deficit in the first game. Macip struck out Sebastian Trinidad for his first collegiate K and followed by inducing a fly out off the bat of Chase Talbot. The Privateer offense then went to work in the bottom of the frame with four runs driven in. Three came off the bat of Howard who doubled into the gap. Later in the game with the score tied in the seventh, Matt Barthelemy came on with runners on first and third and one out. He struck out Brennen Bales and Matt Solomon to keep the game level heading into the bottom of the frame. Barthelemy picked up the victory, his first as a Privateer.
HITS KEEP COMIN’
The Privateers grabbed the lead for good in the bottom of the second inning of the nightcap. Beau Bratton doubled to right to score Issac Williams from first. The Privateers added two more in the third and scored in every frame.
NEXT UP The Privateers will close the series against HBU at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Tyler LeBlanc will start for New Orleans while Daxton Tinker goes for HBU.
{Press release courtesy of UNO Athletics}
