Box Score NEW ORLEANS, La. ? The UALR baseball team (15-30, 6-17) downed New Orleans 8-2 on Friday night at Maestri Field behind a stellar outing from junior Jake Sullivan. A 6-5 lefty, Sullivan opened with four shutout frames and retired 12-straight Privateers (20-29, 10-15) during one stretch to even his record at 5-5 on the year.
After surrendering a first-inning single to Ryan Eden, Sullivan went on to retire the next 12 Privateers in order before issuing a two-out walk in the bottom of the fifth. Sullivan went 7.1 innings on the night, racking up six strikeouts against one walk, while holding UNO to five hits and two runs.
Senior Matt Apfel staked the Trojans to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first with his team-leading 10th home run of the season ? a two-run shot to left. UALR extended its lead to 5-0 in the fourth off run-scoring singles from freshman Brandon Welch and junior Tim Emmons, and a RBI double by senior Eric Hanlon.
Hanlon struck again in the fifth with a two-run homer to left to give Sullivan all the run support he would need. It was the fourth home run of the year for Hanlon, who led the Trojan offense by going 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and three RBI.
UNO finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth, as Justin Edwards' two-out walk led to a RBI double by Alan Harris. The Privateers tacked on another run in the sixth to make it a 7-2 contest, but Sullivan answered by working a scoreless seventh ? with two strikeouts.
Sullivan struck out UNO's leadoff hitter in the bottom of the eighth before giving way to junior Sean Potter, who closed out the game by holding UNO hitless over the final 1.2 frames.
Ricky Ott (1-3) took the loss after surrendering nine hits and seven runs (six earned) over 4.2 innings of work. UNO's four pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts in the loss, eight of which came compliments of Ott. The Privateer bullpen combined to hold UALR to one run and one hit over the final 4.1 innings.
The two teams return to action tomorrow at 4 p.m.
