NEW ORLEANS, La. – University of New Orleans outfielder Mitchell Sanford went 4-for-4 on Friday night, including an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning to snap an 8-8 tie and propel the host Privateers to a 10-8 victory over the visiting University of Evansville baseball team at Maestri Field in New Orleans.
"We just made things very tough on ourselves, as we didn't play clean baseball today," said UE head coach Wes Carroll. "Defensively, it's very difficult to overcome four errors no matter who you play.
"We've got our work cut out for us the next two days, but we were in the same spot last weekend. We just need to have the same kind of response out of our ballclub, because today was not clean baseball."
Evansville started quickly, taking an early 2-0 in the first inning thanks to three hits and a walk, including a two-run single by junior designated hitter Evan Waggoner. But, as was a theme all night, Sanford came through with a key hit in the first inning to help New Orleans get a run back and cut the deficit to 2-1.
Graduate third baseman Brent Widder came through with an RBI double to left-center field to push UE's lead to 3-1 in the second inning, but the Privateers would respond with a solo home run by outfielder Isaac Williams in the next frame to get back within a run at 3-2.
Sanford and Williams would combine to drive in three runs in the third inning on a pair of RBI doubles, before UE would rally back to tie the game at 5-5 in the fourth inning on an RBI double by graduate outfielder Mark Shallenberger and an RBI ground out by Widder.
Evansville would quickly take a 6-5 lead in the sixth inning on a solo home run by junior outfielder Harrison Taubert, his first as a Purple Ace. But, Sanford would give UNO back an 8-6 lead in the sixth inning with a three-run triple to center field.
The game would remain 8-6 in favor of UNO until the eighth inning, when Widder crushed a two-run home run to left-center field to tie the game at 8-8. Evansville would threaten to retake the lead in the frame, but New Orleans reliever Kyrin Tyson-Long got out of a bases-loaded jam with a strikeout to keep the game tied at 8-8. The Privateers would then strike for two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning thanks to two walks, two errors and a one-out RBI single by Sanford which actually scored two runs thanks to one of the two UE errors in the frame to win the game.
Sanford went 4-for-4 with five RBI, while Williams had two hits and drove in three for UNO. Widder led UE by going 3-for-6 with a double, a home run and four RBI.
With the result, both teams stand at 3-2 on the season going into Saturday's second game of the series, which will start at 2 p.m. Senior RHP Nick Smith (0-0, 9.00 ERA) is scheduled to get the start for UE on the mound. Saturday's game can be seen live on ESPN+.
