Southland Conference Foes Clash as New Orleans Visits Texas-Rio Grande Valley

EDINBURG, Texas (Interstat) — The New Orleans Privateers and the Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros open a three-game Southland Conference series Friday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium, with both teams looking to build momentum early in the league schedule.

First pitch is set for 6 p.m. under cloudy skies with a game-time temperature of 78 degrees forecast.

New Orleans (6-7) enters having won three of its last four, including an 11-6 victory over Jackson State on Tuesday. The Privateers’ offense erupted for 11 runs on 12 hits in that win, led by first baseman Kruise Newman. The player to watch for New Orleans, Newman launched a grand slam in his only at-bat, driving in four runs. He has three home runs and 10 RBIs over his last seven games.

Texas-Rio Grande Valley (5-8) snapped a four-game skid with a 10-4 win over Texas Southern on Wednesday. The Vaqueros will look to right-hander Wyatt Wiatrek, their player to watch, to set the tone. Wiatrek earned the win in his last start, allowing two earned runs over five innings with five strikeouts against Texas Southern.

The Privateers have shown offensive potency, scoring 10 or more runs in four games this season. Beyond Newman, second baseman Evan Rogers drove in four runs in the Tuesday win, and reliever Luke Hymel provided 2 1/3 scoreless innings.

UTRGV seeks more consistency after a tough stretch that included being swept in a three-game series at Lamar last weekend, scoring only three total runs in those contests. Outfielder Rocco Garza Gongora and catcher Chayton Fischer, who combined for five RBIs on Wednesday, aim to spark the lineup.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, the projection favors New Orleans with a 6-3 final score.

The series continues Saturday at 2 p.m. and concludes Sunday at 1 p.m.