LAKE CHARLES, La. ? McNeese State scored four
runs in the bottom of the 10th inning to claim a comeback victory over the ULM
baseball team in a wild ballgame Wednesday night at Cowboy Diamond in Lake
Charles, La.
The Cowboys (9-4) entered the bottom of the 10th
inning trailing 10-7, but batted through the order to pound out four hits as
well as receiving a pair of miscues from the ULM defense. Matt Fontenot's only
RBI on the night scored the winning run of the night as the Cowboys pounded out 13 hits in the contest.
ULM (7-6) wouldn't be outdone at the plate as
it crushed 16 hits of its own, but four errors on the night would be the
deciding factor in the end. Ben Soignier led the Warhawks going 2-for-4 with a
pair of runs scored along with two RBI. He also walked twice and now has earned nine free passes during the past four contests.
The Cowboys were led by Orr Lee's 4-for-4 at
the plate to go with two runs scored and three RBI. Sam Merrill and Steven
Irvine would combine for five hits to go with four runs scored.
Jordan LeGros (1-1) picked up the victory for
McNeese State after throwing 2.0 innings in relief, while striking out five.
Josh Miller (1-1) took the loss on the hill for the Warhawks after giving up a
pair of earned runs in 0.2 innings during the 10th frame.
ULM struck early in the extra frame off a
Cowboy fielding error that scored Boomer Blanchard and Nick Wade from second and
third to go up two runs quickly. Jon Prevost scored two batters later off a wild
pitch to help the Warhawks claim a three-run lead entering the final three
outs.
McNeese State Taylor Freeman started the
rally in the 10th with a sacrifice fly scoring Sam Merrill. Orr followed
with a single through the right side to score Irvin who walked earlier in the inning.
Nick Eubanks sacrificed himself to left field on a fly out to score Freeman
before Fontenot single scored the winning run home.
The Warhawks struck first in the top of the
first to take a 1-0 lead behind a Soignier double to left center field scoring Blanchard
from second. McNeese State answered in its bottom half of the inning scoring
two runs of a pair of singles to take a 2-1 lead after an inning of play.
After three runs were scored by both teams in
the first inning a pitchers duel ensued through the fifth frame. ULM's Blake Jones
and McNeese State's Matt Click combined to force six groundouts and a pair of
double plays as they gave up only six hits.
The Warhawks answered in the top of the
seventh inning and scored three runs to reclaim a 5-3 lead. Matt Collins hit a bases
clearing double to left center to score Soignier, Blanchard and Wade.
McNeese State fought back to reclaim its lead
for the second time on the night with a four-run eighth inning and a 7-5 lead. The
Cowboys walked home their first run of the inning before Irvine singled through
the left side scoring a pair of runs. Their fourth run of the frame came off a Warhawk
throwing error to score Andy Riche' from second base.
Entering what was thought to be the final
frame of the night, ULM extended the game scoring two runs to tie the ball game
and send it into an extra frame. Prevost and Soignier earned free passes before
being brought home by a Ryan McMillan single through the left side to tie the game
at nine runs apiece.
ULM returns to Warhawk Field for a three-game
Sun Belt Conference series against New Orleans starting Friday at 7 p.m. The
series is the Warhawks second of the young conference season. The game will be
broadcast live on 1680 AM and worldwide on the internet at ULMAthletics.com. Fans can also watch and listen to the game by signing up for
Warhawks All*Access at ULMAthletics.com.
