MONROE, La.-ULM broke open a
two-run game with eight runs in the bottom of the fifth inning as the Warhawks
extended their home win streak to eight games with a 17-9 victory over
Northwestern State Wednesday night at Warhawk Field.
After the Demons pulled within
7-5 in the top of the fifth, the Warhawks (24-16) belted out six hits and took
advantage of an error, a bases loaded walk, a based loaded hit by pitch and a
bases loaded wild pitch in their half of the frame to take a 15-5 lead.
Jon Prevost led the Warhawks
going 2-for-3 with four RBIs, four runs scored and his 12th home run
of the season. Nick Wade finished 3-for-5, Matt Laird was 2-for-4 with two RBIs
and three runs scored, Jordy Poche was 2-for-3, Ben Soignier was 2-for-5 with
three RBIs, Boomer Blanchard was 2-for-5 with a pair of runs and Ryan McMillan
was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Poche also stole a career-high
two bases.
McMillan, Blanchard, Laird and
Poche had RBI base hits in the big fifth inning, while Soignier drew the bases
loaded walk and Prevost was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
The Warhawks jumped out to a
4-0 lead in the opening inning scoring all four runs with two outs. Prevost sandwiched
a hustle double to left field between the two outs and came home to score on
Matt Collins' seventh home run of the season and second in as many games.
Laird, Poche, Wade and McMillan
followed with four straight singles ? Wade's and McMillan's both scored runs. The
four-run first inning marked the 18th time this season that the
Warhawks scored in the opening inning of a game.
The Demons bounced right back
to tie the game in the top of the third inning. Following an RBI single by
Jordan Nipp and a sacrifice fly by Justin O'Neal, Joe Urtuzuastegui sent his
fifth home run of the season over the wall for a two-run shot.
Prevost's homer in the bottom of
the fourth inning ? a three-run shot ? gave the Warhawks a 7-4 lead.
Urtuzuastegui answered with
his second home run of the night, this one a solo blast, in the top of the
fifth pulling the Demons within 7-5.
As they did all night long,
Northwestern State answered ULM's runs as it scored four runs in the top of the
sixth inning after the Warhawks staked its 15-5 lead.
Soignier extended the Warhawk
lead out into the final 17-9 margin with an RBI single in the sixth and an RBI
double in the eighth to push his RBI total out to 49 on the season.
Corey Brown (2-2) picked up
the win for the Warhawks tossing two innings of one-hit ball. He didn't allow a
run and struck out one batter.
Colin Bear (1-4) took the loss
for Northwestern State allowing seven runs on seven hits in four innings of
work.
The Warhawks return to Sun
Belt Conference play this weekend when they host Florida International for a
three-game set at Warhawk Field. ULM and the Golden Panthers (24-14) are
neck-and-neck for fourth place in the conference standings heading into the
weekend.
