The New Orleans Privateers and Southeastern Lions will face off for the Pontchartrain Bowl in a three-game baseball series beginning Friday, Mar. 26, in Hammond. The teams are scheduled to play on Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m.
The annual Pontchartrain Bowl matchup has become a regular fixture since its inception in 2015, with the exception of the COVID-shortened season in 2020. Southeastern currently holds the trophy, having won it six times compared to four victories by New Orleans.
The Privateers enter the series after recording their third shutout win of the season against Jackson State, winning 7-0 on Tuesday night. Six pitchers combined for a six-hit shutout, marking the most shutouts in a single season since New Orleans recorded four in 2017. William Andrade stood out by becoming the first Privateer this season to record double-digit strikeouts in an outing; he is also only the third freshman since 2015 to achieve this feat.
Eli Tidwell continues his strong performance, scoring multiple runs for the eighth time this year and leading his team with runs scored—tied for fifth overall in conference rankings with 24 runs. Pitching has been another highlight recently: Privateer pitchers have tallied ten or more strikeouts as a group five times over their last eleven games—a significant increase from just once during their first sixteen games.
Southeastern enters with an overall record of 13-12 and is currently five wins and four losses against Southland Conference opponents. Their midweek game resulted in a loss to Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns by a score of nine to three. Peyton Woods and Ben Robichaux lead Southeastern’s offense with batting averages of .333 and .322 respectively. On Friday, Truitt Webb will make his first start as a Lion after previously appearing exclusively as a relief pitcher.
