Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BEAUMONT, Texas – Senior Cole Girouard lined a 2-2 pitch into right field, just beyond the diving, outstretched arm of New Orleans' Salo Iza at second base in the bottom of the ninth for the 3-2 walk off victory over New Orleans Saturday afternoon at Vincent-Beck Stadium. The victory gave LU a doubleheader split with the Privateers – a team who entered the series atop the Southland Conference standings.
 
In a weekend that has been shaped by great pitching, the first game of the doubleheader saw both LU (21-20/13-18 SLC) and New Orleans' starters record a complete game. Game three of the series appeared to be headed that direction as the game was scoreless headed into the 6^th inning, but after giving up a run in the top of the 6^th, LU battled back for two in the 7^th to take their first lead of the day. When the Privateers responded with a run in the 8^th it set up a thrilling 9^th inning.
 
After Anthony Quirion led off the inning with a double over the head of the right fielder, Matthew McDonald moved him over to third. UNO elected to intentionally walk both Ryan Snell and Logan LeJeune to face Girouard, and the Groves native made them pay with his first hit to give LU its first lead, and the final lead, of the day.
 
Braxton Douthit got the start for the Cards and pitched 6.2 innings of four-hit ball surrendering just one earned run with three strikeouts. New Orleans' starter, Brandon Mitchell, also left the game after 6.2 allowing two runs – both unearned – on six hits, but neither starter figured in the decision.
 
Joe Buckendorff closed out the 7^th on one pitch before the Cardinals turned the game over to Jack Dallas in the 8^th. The Orange native ran into some trouble in his first inning allowing a run on three consecutive hits before getting Pearce Howard to ground into an inning-ending double play. Dallas sat the Privateers down in order in the ninth, and Big Red walked it off in the 9^th as Dallas improved to 1-2 on the season. Caleb Seroski (4-2) took the loss after allowing just a run in 1.2 innings.
 
The thrilling second game of the doubleheader came on the hills of another pitchers' duel, one that saw both starters recorded a complete game. Zack Bravo (5-2) got the start in Saturday's first game and went seven innings allowing just two runs – both earned – on seven hits with four strikeouts and a walk. Unfortunately, UNO's Chris Turpin was just a bit better allowing just five hits in the shutout victory.
 
The Privateers did their damage with a run in the 3^rd and one in the 4^th, as LU could mount just five hits in the first game.
 
Ben MacNaughton and Chase Kemp went 2-for-4 in the second game, while MacNaughton ended the day with three hits (3-for-7). Logan LeJeune was 2-for-5 on the day including a 1-for-3 effort with two RBIs in the second game to give Big Red its first lead of the day. LeJeune was also flawless in the field as the Cardinals didn't record an error.
 
LU will look to take the series when the two teams return to Vincent-Beck Stadium Sunday for game four. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.