MURFREESBORO,
Tenn.-ULM scored
four runs with two outs in the top of the ninth of inning to rally past
Middle
Tennessee 8-5 Saturday afternoon at Reese Smith Field. ULM rode the arm
of Drew
Granier who struck out 12 batters and scattered just five hits as the
Warhawks
evened the Sun Belt Conference series against the preseason league
favorite.
Shane Ardoin
started the
ninth-inning rally for the Warhawks (7-6, 1-1 Sun Belt) with a single to
right-center and Boomer Blanchard drew a seven-pitch walk to set up the
dramatics. Caleb Clowers then reached on the first of three straight
errors by
Middle Tennessee second baseman Justin Miller.
Ardoin scored on
the first
error to tie the game and then Blanchard and Clowers scored as Miller
dropped a
pop up. Judd Edwards hit a sharp ground ball that went between Miller's
legs
that allowed Nick Wade to score the final run of the
inning.
Wil Browning
pitched a
scoreless ninth inning to pick up his fourth save of the season and
third in a
game which Granier (2-0) started. Granier's 12 strikeouts were the most
by a
ULM pitcher since Matt Green struck out 12 against Lamar in 2004. The
Warhawk defense was solid behind Granier and Browning turning a pair of
double plays.
Preseason Sun Belt
Player of
the Year Bryce Brentz hit a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth
inning to
set the Middle Tennessee career record and give the Blue Raiders (9-5,
1-1) a
5-4 lead. The Warhawk pitchers have done a good job with the defending
NCAA
batting champion in the series limiting him to just two hits and
striking him
out six times.
Blanchard, Clowers
and Josh Chappell
all had two hits for the Warhawks as they out-hit the Blue Raiders 10-6
for the game. Chappell had a clutch two-out single in the second inning
to plate a
pair of runs and give ULM a 4-1 lead.
Three of Middle
Tennessee's six
hits on the day left the park. Pinch hitter Justin Jones tied the game
with a
three-run homer with two outs in the seventh and Justin Guidry hit a
solo home
run in the second.
In addition to
hitting a home
run, Guidry went six solid innings on the mound in relief of starter
Daniel
Palo who lasted just 2.2 innings. Guidry allowed just one unearned run
on three
hits. Kevin Whittaker (0-1) was charged with the loss after he allowed
three
unearned runs and a walk.
Wade gave the
Warhawks a
1-0 lead with his fourth home run of the season in the top of the first
inning.
Chappell led off the second inning with a double down the line in left,
moved
to third on a single by Josh Gill and scored on a sacrifice fly by
Jarrett
Hammond.
Junior right-hander
Jordy
Poche (1-0, 9.82 ERA) will get the start in the rubber game of the
series for
the Warhawks. Middle Tennessee will counter with senior right-hander
Chad
Edwards (0-1, 14.54). First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Sunday's
game will be broadcast live in northeast Louisiana on 540 AM
and worldwide on the internet at ulmwarhawks.com. Fans can also follow
all of
the action with free live stats on ulmwarhawks.com.
