05/06/06–
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CRYER AND THE PRIVATEERS TOO MUCH FOR USA IN
6-4 LOSS TO UNO
CONTACT:
Kevin Sytko
Box
Score
NEW
ORLEANS
- South Alabama ran into a hot pitcher, the reigning Sun Belt Conference
pitcher of the week Bryan Cryer. Cryer threw 7.2 inning allowing
just three runs (two earned) as the Jags fell to the Privateers
by a score of 6-4, snapping its 11-game win streak Saturday afternoon
at Maestri Field in New Orleans.
With the loss
USA falls to 33-16 on the season and 13-6 in the Sun Belt. Zach
Piccola took the loss for USA, dropping his record to 4-4. Piccola
went 4.1 innings allowing five earned runs. Cryer picked up the
win for UNO improving to 7-1 on the season.
The Jags had
their chance to score. They left nine men on base, which included
not scoring in the seventh inning when they had the bases loaded
and one out. The Jags and Privateers will settle the series Sunday
afternoon in the rubber match at 1 p.m.
The Jags got
on the board in the top of the first as they touched up Cryer for
a run on two hits. Tyler Jones led off with a single up the middle
which was followed by a Patrick Weaver double down the left field
line. David Freese then drove in Jones with a ground out to third
base. It was Freese’s 64th RBI of the season and the Jags
led 1-0.
The Privateers took the lead right back with two runs in the bottom
of the first. Josh Jones led off with a single through the left
side. Brandon Bowser then singled to right field. Michael Epping
dropped a bunt up the third base line, but when Piccola fielded
it, he had no play and the bases were loaded. After Piccola fanned
Alex Webster with a hook, Josh Tarnow popped up and Piccola looked
to avoid trouble. Mike Constantino ripped a single through the right
side to score Jones and Bowser and give UNO a 2-1 lead.
South Alabama
tied the game in the top of the third inning. Weaver led off with
a solid single to left field. Freese then grounded to third and
Costantino forced out Weaver at second. David Broussard’s
relay throw to first sailed wide and the throwing error put Freese
on second, with one out. After Cryer got Cunningham to line out
to right field, David Doss ripped a two-out RBI double down the
left field line to tie the game at two. For Doss, the double extended
his hitting streak to 11 games.
UNO took the
lead with a single run in the bottom of the third inning without
collecting a hit. Epping was hit by a pitch to open the inning and
move to second on a Piccola wild pitch. Epping then stole third
and came into score on Piccola’s second wild pitch of the
inning.
The Jaguars
looked to score in the top of the fourth inning but made two outs
on the bases. With one out, Guillermo Martinez was picked off third
base by Cryer. Ben Daw was then nailed at second base trying to
steal to end the inning. Daw looked to have beaten the throw, but
was ruled out, a call that head coach Steve Kittrell vehemently
argued.
The Privateers
added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning which chased
Piccola from the game. Jones walked to open the inning and Bowser
launched his second homerun of the season to make the score 5-2.
Piccola face two more hitters before being lifted for Eric Gonzalez.
South Alabama
had a great chance to put up a few runs in the top of the seventh
when it loaded the bases with one out. Cryer got out of the jam
when he got Weaver to pop up to second base and got Freese to ground
out to shortstop.
The Jags cut
the UNO lead to two runs in the top of the eighth inning when Doss
lined his second double of the game down the left field line. George
then followed with a double of his own, this time to right center,
which plated Doss and made the score 5-3. Cryer got Martinez to
pop out before being lifted for Ryan O’Shea. O’Shea
got Collins to fly out to center to keep the UNO lead at 5-3.
New Orleans
added a single insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning
when Costantino ripped his fourth homerun of the season, a solo
shot to right field off of Gonzalez to make the score 6-3.
The Jags got
one run closer in the ninth but O’Shea retied the middle of
the Jag order to preserve the win and pick up his second save of
the season. Freese went 0-for-5 at the plate, snapping his 19-game
hitting streak.
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