RUSTON, La.?Playing
for the final time at home this season, Louisiana Tech jumped out to an early
lead and didn't look back en route to a 15-5 victory over ULM Tuesday night at J.C. Love Field.
The Bulldogs (21-29) took a 6-0 lead following the first two
innings and extended it out to 14-2 with an eight spot in the bottom of the
third.
Ben Soignier hit his 16th home run of the season
for the Warhawks ? a solo shot in the third ? to take over sole possession of
second place on the ULM
(32-20) single-season home run list.
Corey Taylor holds the record with 19 back in 1998.
Jericho Jones did the majority of the damage for Louisiana
Tech going 4-for-4 with a home run and five RBIs, while Adam Cobb went 3-for-4
with five RBIs.
Nick Wade and Matt Laird hit back-to-back home runs in the
top of the eighth inning marking the fifth time this year that ULM has gone back-to-back. Wade, who finished the game 3-for-5, now has
four home runs and 13 RBIs in his past six starts.
Laird went 3-for-4 on the night and Ryan McMillan drove in a
run with his team-leading 16th double of the season. Casey Auttonberry delivered a pinch hit double
in the top of the ninth scoring Darren Sutton who led off the inning with a
walk.
The tone for the night was set on the first batter of the
Louisiana Tech half of the first inning.
ULM
starter Josh Lett hit Cobb, Tech's leadoff batter, after getting ahead of the
center fielder 0-2 in the count. Two
batters later Jones hit his homer over the wall in right-centerfield.
The Warhawks had opportunities with 13 hits on the night,
but hit into two double plays and left 13 runners on base.
Lett (6-2) lasted just 1.2 innings for the Warhawks allowing
six runs on six hits. Andrew Lassere (2-3)
picked up the win for Louisiana Tech tossing 3.1 scoreless innings scattering
four hits out of the bullpen.
The Warhawks travel to Omaha,
Neb., tomorrow morning for a
three-game set at Creighton beginning Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. The first two games of the series will be
played at historic Rosenblatt Stadium before moving to the Creighton Sports
Complex for the Saturday finale.
