MONROE, La.?Ben
Soignier hit two home runs and Derek Ward shutdown one of the best hitting teams
in the nation leading ULM
to a 7-6 victory over visiting Florida Atlantic Friday night at Warhawk Field.
The Warhawks (15-8, 8-2 Sun Belt) move into first place in
the Sun Belt standings with the victory over the Owls (16-7, 6-2) and Troy's 6-1 loss at home to New Orleans.
FAU entered the week ranked third in the nation in home runs
per game (2.14), ninth in runs per game (10.0) and 19th in batting
average (.333). The Warhawks didn't allow
a home run on the night, held the Owls four runs below their season average and
just a .277 batting average from the plate.
Ward ? ULM's
designated closer ? entered the game in the fifth inning and went the distance
allowing just one unearned run on three hits.
The junior picked up his second victory of the season to go along with
his five saves; he has factored into the decision in seven of his 10
appearances.
After the Owls jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the
first, Soignier tied the game with the first of his two blasts to left field. Kyle Suire and Dexter Fontenot followed up
with back-to-back doubles giving the Warhawks a 2-1 advantage. Fontenot has now hit safely in 17-of-19 games
he has played in.
Soignier and Suire extended the lead to 4-1 with
back-to-back singles through the right side of the infield in the second.
Florida Atlantic pushed a pair of unearned runs across in
the fourth inning on an error by Warhawk third baseman Ryan McMillan closing
the gap to 4-3.
Nick Maragas and Jon Prevost led off the bottom half of ULM's fourth inning with
a pair of singles setting up Soignier's second home run of the game. The junior shortstop now has five home runs
on the season and 15 for his career. He
finished the game 3-for-3 with five RBIs and drew an intentional walk in the sixth.
Reigning National Player of the Week Mike McKenna pulled the
Owls within 7-5 in the fifth with a two-run double to left. Another unearned run in the seventh closed
the gap to 7-6.
McMillan atoned for his earlier error with a key double play
in the inning turning a first and second nobody out situation into a runner on
second with two outs.
Jeremy Griffiths ? who finished 4-for-5 with three runs
scored ? led off the ninth with a single to center but was thrown out at second
by A.J. Siggers after he tried to stretch it into a double.
Ward got McKenna to hit a lazy fly to right and Tom Hatcher
to ground out to short to end the game.
Mickey Storey (2-2) took the loss for the Owls, who saw
their seven-game win streak come to a close, allowing all seven runs on 10 hits
in just four innings of work.
ULM starter Jared Jennings also lasted
just four innings allowing five runs ? three earned ? on seven hits striking
out five.
The teams resume the three-game series tomorrow afternoon at
4:00 p.m. and conclude the set on Sunday afternoon at 12:00 p.m.
