NEW ORLEANS - Before they recorded their first Sun Belt Conference victory, New Orleans' Privateers stood 4-16 through the first 20 games of the 2005 season. Ten of those 16 losses had come by six or more runs.

Now, they've won two out of three games in all three of their league series, and the given-up-for-dead Privateers are atop the Sun Belt with a 6-3 record.

"We didn't quit," said first-year UNO baseball coach Tom Walter, "and these guys don't give up. Some people may have a low opinion of our team, but these guys have kept playing hard. We've had a chance to win all but one of our conference games."

The unexpected rise of the Privateers sets up a key early-season Sun Belt series beginning tonight, when Louisiana's nationally-ranked Ragin' Cajuns (29-7, 4-2) head for UNO's Maestri Field at Privateer Park to face long-time rival UNO (10-21, 6-3).

Tonight's 6:30 p.m. opener matches Cajun senior righthander Kevin Ardoin (7-1, 1.54) against UNO sophomore righthander Ryan Meyer (0-3, 5.83). UL will also have the statistical advantage in Saturday's 1 p.m. game with Austin Faught (6-0, 1.84) going against UNO's Bryan Cryer (3-3, 3.59), and probably also in Sunday's 1 p.m. finale regardless of who faces Privateer starter Michael Jones (2-4, 5.55).

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By Dan McDonald
Louisiana Gannett News Service