NEW ORLEANS (Interstat) — A dominant pitching performance by six New Orleans hurlers and an early home run from Owen Smith propelled the Privateers to a 4-0 victory over Southern on Wednesday night at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

The Privateers (4-5) used a committee approach on the mound to stifle the Jaguars (1-6), holding them to just three hits while striking out 11. Southern managed only two runners to reach third base and hit into two double plays, failing to capitalize on sporadic opportunities.

New Orleans set the tone immediately. After starter Skylar Jones worked around two early baserunners in a scoreless top of the first, Smith led off the bottom of the inning by driving the first pitch he saw from Southern starter Jeremiah Eneix over the center field wall for a solo home run.

The Privateers added an unearned run in the third. Cole Tidwell reached on a dropped third strike and a wild pitch, advanced to third on a throwing error by Southern catcher Jovanni Ayala, and scored on a groundout by Smith, his second RBI of the night.

Another Southern error led to the third New Orleans run in the fourth. Relief pitcher Quincy Thornton’s errant pickoff attempt allowed Diego Dominguez to advance to third after a single. Dominguez then scored on a two-out single up the middle by Jake.

Tidwell provided the final margin in the fifth inning, leading off the frame with a solo home run to deep center field off Southern reliever Landon Rupert, making it 4-0.

From there, the Privateers’ bullpen took complete control. After Jones allowed one hit over two innings, relievers Tyler Velino, Logan Waldschmidt and Jack Garvey combined for six hitless innings. Velino and Waldschmidt each pitched two perfect frames, while Garvey worked two innings, allowing two hits but inducing a key line-drive double play in the seventh to erase a leadoff single and an error.

Southern’s best scoring chance came in the eighth inning against Garvey. Beny Bikar doubled down the left field line and advanced to third with two outs. Pinch-hitter Hunter followed with an infield single, but Garvey escaped by getting designated hitter Kennedy Drexler to ground out.

Brice Deaton closed the game for New Orleans in the ninth, striking out the side around a walk and a hit batter to secure the shutout.

Southern’s pitching had several bright spots in relief. Caden Brown, Noah Bagby and Stephen Tolbert combined for 3 1/3 hitless innings, with Brown and Quincy Thornton each recording three strikeouts in their appearances. Starter Jeremiah Eneix took the loss.

The most important sequence of the game occurred in the very first inning. After Southern loaded the bases with one out in the top half against Jones, the Privateers’ starter struck out Kameron Byrd looking and got Jermaine Spencer swinging to end the threat. Smith then led off the bottom half with his home run, a immediate two-run swing that provided all the momentum New Orleans would need. The Jaguars never seriously threatened again, as the early missed opportunity and Smith’s quick response defined the contest.

The win gave New Orleans a sweep of the two-game midweek series after defeating Southern 14-5 in Baton Rouge the previous Wednesday. The Privateers next host Stephen F. Austin for a three-game series starting Friday. Southern, mired in a five-game losing streak, returns home to face Morehead State in a three-game set beginning Friday.