No. 8 New Orleans upsets No. 1 Sam Houston State at Southland Conference Tourney

Photo and story by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

SUGAR LAND, TEXAS (May 23, 2018) No. 8 New Orleans (shown right) tied the score at three in the eighth inning and scored the go-a-head run in the tenth to down No. 1 Sam Houston State by the score of 4-3 in day one action at the Southland Conference Baseball Tournament at Constellation Field. The Privateers became the first team since 2015 to be a No. 8 seed and upset the top seed. New Orleans scored the first run of the game when center fielder Orynn Veillon connected for a double to deep left field to score right fielder Pearce Howard from first base. The Bearkats responded in the bottom of the inning with two runs on hits by first baseman Hunter Hearn and right fielder Clayton Harp; scoring designated hitter Blake Chisolm and Hearn. They added their third run in the sixth, to increase their lead. Then with two outs in the top of the eight inning, Howard got a double and Veillon walked. Catcher Beau Bratton came to the plate and hit a triple down the right field line, scoring Howard and Veillon, to take a 4-3 lead; and the game.

Veillon and Howard both went 2-for-4 with two runs while Bratton was 2-for-5. John Barr, seeing two innings in relief, received hios sixth win of the season, with Brad Demco, pitching one inning is relief received the loss. The Privateers will face the winner of No. 4 Houston Baptist University and No. 5 Central Arkansas, while Sam Houston will play the loser.