The New Orleans Privateers lost to the UTRGV Vaqueros 8-6 on Saturday night at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg, Texas. Despite a late rally that included two home runs from Kruise Newman, the Privateers were unable to overcome the deficit.
UTRGV took control of the game with a three-run third inning featuring hits from multiple players and a two-run homer by Julius Ramirez. This came after New Orleans had tied the score in the previous inning.
Reliever Riley Marcotte held UTRGV scoreless for three innings and finished his outing with four innings pitched, allowing just one unearned run and striking out six batters.
Trailing 5-1 in the seventh, New Orleans narrowed the gap when Jayden Adcox and Evan Rogers singled ahead of Newman’s first home run, bringing the score to 5-4. However, Hank Warren responded for UTRGV with an RBI single in the bottom half of that inning.
The Vaqueros extended their lead with two more runs in the eighth. In the ninth, Rogers reached base on an infield single before Newman hit his second home run of the night off Colton Vercoe, reducing UTRGV’s lead to 8-6.
Kiké Cienfuegos entered as reliever for UTRGV and recorded two strikeouts to secure his team’s first save of the season.
Harrison Thayer earned the win for UTRGV after pitching into the seventh inning, giving up four runs on six hits while striking out six. Ramirez contributed offensively by going 2-for-4 with four RBIs. Thomas Williams was 3-for-3 with a triple and an RBI, while Rocco Garza Gongora went 2-for-3 and scored twice.
For New Orleans, Newman drove in five runs with his two homers and now has six home runs this season. Owen Smith was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Eddie Castillo collected two doubles during his first start of the year. Rogers also finished 2-for-4 and scored twice.
The series will conclude Sunday at 1 p.m.
