MONROE, La.?A.J. Siggers drove
home the winning run capping a two-run seventh inning leading ULM to a 5-4
come-from-behind victory over Middle Tennessee Friday night in the Sun Belt
Conference series opener at Warhawk Field.
The
Warhawks (25-12, 15-4 Sun Belt) maintain their 2.5 game lead over Troy atop the
Sun Belt standings and are a win away from their seventh conference series
victory in as many tries this season.
After the
Blue Raiders took a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh on the strength of a
three-run homer by Rawley Bishop, the Warhawks came right back in their half of
the frame to regain the lead.
Matt Laird
and Jon Prevost led off the inning with back-to-back singles and Kyle Suire
walked to load the bases. Dexter
Fontenot drew a full-count walk to tie the game and Siggers brought home the
winning run with a grounder to the pitcher.
ULM starter Jared Jennings shutdown the
high-powered Middle Tennessee (20-15-1, 9-9) offense over the first six innings of the
game and finished the game allowing a pair of runs in 6.1 innings scattering
four hits and striking out five.
Closer
Derek Ward (5-1) picked up the win tossing the final 2.2 innings allowing a
pair of runs while striking out five.
The
Warhawks jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on an
RBI single by Suire back up the middle and a Fontenot double to the wall in
right field. ULM is now 15-5 on the season when it scores
a run in the first inning.
Laird
extended the lead out to 3-0 in the fifth with his fifth home run of the
season, a monster shot off the top of the scoreboard in left field.
Prevost
continued to hit the ball well for ULM
going 2-for-3 from the plate and is now 7-for-12 over his last four games.
Kenneth
Roberts (4-3) allowed five runs over six innings yielding eight hits in a
losing effort for the Blue Raiders, who saw their seven-game win streak
snapped.
The teams
continue the three-game series tomorrow afternoon at 4:00 p.m. following the
football Maroon and Gold Game which kicks off at noon in Malone Stadium.
