NEW ORLEANS ? Ben Soignier and
Perry Smith hit home runs to lead ULM to a 4-3 victory over No. 34 Tulane at
Greer Field at Turchin Stadium Wednesday night.
Soignier led off the fourth
inning with a solo blast ? his third of the season ? to straight-away center
field and Smith hit his first career home run in the fifth inning ? a two-run
shot ? to give the Warhawks (3-1) a 3-0 lead.
Derek Ward pitched the final
1.2 innings to pick up the save for the Warhawks. The senior struck out four
Tulane (3-2) batters and didn't allow a hit to move into a tie for sixth place
on the ULM career saves list with eight.
This is the second straight
season that the Warhawks have defeated a ranked team out of Conference USA on
their home field. ULM downed No. 29 Southern Mississippi 4-1 last season in
Hattiesburg, Miss.
The Warhawks plated the
winning run in the top of the seventh inning thanks to some defensive miscues
by the Green Wave. Nick Wade led off the inning reaching on an error by the
third baseman and Kelvin York followed with a single back up the middle. Smith then laid down
a perfect bunt to move the runners up. He beat the throw to the base for a
single, but the first baseman couldn't handle the transfer and Wade came home
to score the winning run.
Tulane had runners on first
and second with just one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Josh Miller came
out of the bullpen to induce a 5-4-3 inning-ending double play.
Jordy Poche started the game
for the Warhawks and took a no decision after allowing a pair of runs on four
hits in five innings of work ? making his first appearance of the season he
struck out six.
Justin Anderson (2-0) was the
first Warhawk out of the bullpen and picked up the win tossing 1.1 innings and
allowing one run on two hits.
The Green Wave came back with
two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth to tie the game at 3-3. Tulane took
advantage of four ULM walks in the two frames to lead to the tie score. Nick Pepitone (0-1) took the loss for Tulane allowing one unearned run on three hits in three innings of work.
The Warhawks have a three-game
series against Grambling State this weekend with Warhawk Field playing host on
Friday and Saturday and GSU's Tiger Stadium hosting Sunday's contest. First
pitch Friday night is scheduled for 7 p.m.
