MONROE, La. ? The ULM softball team opened a weather-delayed Tennessee Classic with a split on Day 1 of competition. The Warhawks downed Brigham Young University, 4-2, in the first game of the tournament before falling to Virginia, 6-3, in their second game.
ULM (5-6) picked up a strong performance in the circle from sophomore Kandace Causey and a clutch two-out RBI single from freshman Molly McNeill to down the Cougars in the first meeting between the two programs.
“Kandace had a great game for us today,” ULM head coach Rosemary Holloway-Hill said. “She was in good control of her pitches and really set the tempo. She might have lost a little bit late, but found a way to battle through it and get the complete game win for us.”
After a scoreless first inning BYU (7-5) drew first blood, scoring a run in the top of the second frame. ULM quickly responded, picking up a solo blast from senior captain Calli Baker off the leftfield scoreboard to tie the game at 1-1.
The Warhawks would load the bases in the third inning off a trio of walks before McNeill knocked a pair home with a hit up the middle. McNeill was picked off at first, but kept the play alive long enough for freshman Brianna Love to scamper home and give ULM a 4-1 lead.
Causey (3-1) would keep the Cougar offense at bay until the seventh inning. With the bases loaded and one out, a wild pitch by the Warhawks hurler allowed BYU's only other run to score. Causey would get out of the jam and preserve the complete game victory.
In the second game of the day for the Warhawks, five unearned runs in the third inning proved to be too much as Virginia (1-5) claimed the victory. The Cavaliers picked up an early 1-0 lead after receiving a solo homer in the first off ULM senior Lindsay Rittenhouse (1-4).
The Gilbert, Ariz.-native settled in before an error with two outs and the bases loaded extended the third frame and allowed five more runs to cross home and give Virginia a 6-0 lead.
ULM's offense got on the board in the sixth inning, scoring three runs off four hits. Love led off the inning with a monster shot to right field for her team-leading third home run of the season. With two outs, the Warhawks picked up three consecutive hits, including an RBI double by senior Christy Waguespack and an RBI single by senior Cary Roussel to trip the deficit to 6-3.
ULM would draw no closer and was retired in order in the top of the seventh for the final score.
The Warhawks return to action on Saturday when they face tournament host and fifth-ranked Tennessee (10-1) at 5 p.m.
