MONROE, La.-Drew
Granier threw
six scoreless innings to lead ULM to a 10-2 victory over Mississippi
Valley
State in the Warhawks' home opener Friday night at Warhawk Field.
The junior
right-hander
allowed just two hits and struck out five batters to earn his first
career
victory in a ULM uniform. Granier (1-0), whose outing was the longest of
the
year by a Warhawk pitcher, was the starting pitcher in both of ULM's
previous
victories this season but took a no decision in both of those contests.
Matt Laird led the
Warhawks at
the plate going 3-for-5 with a pair or RBIs, while Josh Chappell, Perry
Smith
and Boomer Blanchard had a pair of hits as the Warhawks pounded out 12
on
the night.
The Warhawks (3-4)
scattered
four hits over the first four innings of the game, but couldn't crack
the
scoreboard against Mississippi Valley State (2-8) starter David Brauhn. A
bases
loaded walk to Boomer Blanchard broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of
the
fifth inning and Clowers followed with an RBI fielder's choice to up the
lead to
2-0.
Laird drove home
Josh Gill to
increase the lead to 3-0 and Smith drove home two with a single to
center to
cap the five-run inning.
ULM extended its
advantage out
to 6-0 when Wade was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth.
Jarrett
Hammond, Blanchard and Clowers all drew walks to fill the bases - the
Delta
Devil pitching staff walked 12 Warhawks over the course of the game.
Mississippi Valley
State got
on the board with a pair of runs in the top of eighth inning. Luke
Walker put
the Delta Devils on the board with a double to right-center and Kylie
Ming
grounded out to second to plate the second run.
The Warhawks
answered the two
runs and added two more in the bottom of the frame. Clowers doubled home
Jordy Poche
and Blanchard for the first two runs of the inning and then Laird
singled home
Clowers and Hammond drew a bases loaded walk.
Brauhn (1-3) took
the loss for
the Delta Devils after he was charged with six runs on five hits. He
walked
five batters and struck out three before exiting after 4.1 innings.
The teams continue
the series
tomorrow at 4 p.m. James Jones (0-1, 21.00) will get his second career
start on
the mound for the Warhawks while the Delta Devils have not announced
their
starter yet.
The game will be broadcast live in northeast Louisiana on 540
AM and worldwide on the internet at ulmwarhawks.com. Fans can also watch
the
game live online in Warhawks All*Access and can follow the action for
free with
live stats - both can be accessed by logging onto ulmwarhawks.com.
