MOBILE, Ala. - Brianna Love crushed a home run in the top of the seventh frame of game two to propel the ULM softball team into a doubleheader split with South Alabama on Saturday afternoon. The Jaguars scored seven unanswered runs in game one to earn a 7-6 come-from-behind victory, before the Warhawks won game two, 4-2.
ULM (16-16, 5-6) scored three runs in the first and third innings to build a comfortable 6-0 lead, but South Alabama (17-16, 4-5) charged back with seven runs to earn a come-from-behind victory in the opener. The Jaguars scored four runs in the third and two in the fourth to force the Warhawks into a pitching change. After a walk and a sacrifice bunt, Britany Campbell drove in the winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Tiffany Mills (5-5) went the distance and struck out five to earn a complete game victory in the second contest of the doubleheader. The Warhawks' offense never trailed in the game, as they put together six hits togther, including Love's fifth home run of the season.
Janel Salanoa led the ULM offensive attack with a 4-for-8 performance, to go along with two runs scored and a RBI. Roxy Cassel added three hits and two runs scored, while Love and Rivera each drove in two runs apiece.
Game One Recap:
Cassel paced the Warhawk offense with a 2-for-4 performance, while Salanoa scored two runs and Rivera drove in a pair of runs. Amanda Sartoris also finished with a base hit, run scored and a RBI.
South Alabama was led by Christin Crocker's 2-for-4 performance, including a game-high four RBIs. Brittany Fowler led the Jaguars with two runs scored.
ULM began the game with a series offensive plays and scored three runs in the process. Brianna Love led of the inning with a walk and advanced to third on Sarah Carriger's double. Love later scored on Salanoa's fielder's choice sacrifice squeeze bunt. Rivera followed with a double to push Carriger and the second run across the plate. Sartoris also hit an RBI single to drive Salanoa in and give the Warhawks a 3-0 lead.
The Warhawks tallied a trio of runs in the top half of the third frame to extend their lead to 6-0. Cassel and Salanoa began the frame with singles to left field and up the middle, respectively. Later in the frame, Rivera and Sartoris hit back-to-back sacrifices to score Cassel and Salanoa. Katie Girardi drove in the final run of the inning on a deep single to center field.
South Alabama answered with four runs to cut its deficit to 6-4 after three innings of play. Crocker and Haley Hopkins hit consecutive doubles to score all four of the Jaguars runs in the frame. South Alabama also reached on a pair of walks and was hit by a pitch in the inning.
The Jaguars continued their scoring run with a pair of tallies in the fourth inning to force the Warhawks into a pitching change. After reaching on a hit-by-pitch and a walk, Crocker lined a two-out two-RBI single through the left side of the infield.
Kandace Causey was a no decision for ULM after throwing 3.2 innings and giving up six earned runs on five hits. She did, however, strikeout seven and walked three.
Heather Fritz (3-4) was tagged with the loss after giving up one run in 2.1 innings of work.
Game Two Recap:
Salanoa led all Warhawks with three base hits, while Love highlighted the offense with two hits and a bomb for a home run in the top of the seventh inning.
Mills picked up the win after throwing a complete game performance. She struck out five and walked just one, while giving up two runs, one earned.
South Alabama was led by Kelsey Volz's 2-for-2 game.
South Alabama took the first lead of the game with a single run in the third inning. Meghan Collins led off the frame with a single up the middle and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Kamee Vessey pushed Collins to third on a line shot single up the middle, before Fowler hit a RBI single.
ULM answered in the top of the fourth inning with a run to knot the scoreboard at a run apiece. Following a pair of singles and a sacrifice bunt, Cassel scored off a Jaguar fielding error. The Warhawks had a chance to score as many as four more runs in the inning, but Morgan Druhan worked out off the bases loaded jam with a strikeout and a pop out.
Love took advantage of a wild pitch by South Alabama to give ULM a 2-1 advantage in the fifth frame. She reached on a single laced to left-center field and advanced to second and third on a sacrifice bunt and groundout.
The Jaguars responded in the bottom of the sixth inning with a run to tie the contest at two scores apiece. Campbell began the frame with a single up the middle, before advancing to second a ULM throwing error. Marissa Boyd then recorded an RBI single to right-center field to score Campbell from second base.
Love took a 1-0 pitch and crushed a two-run home run deep over the left-field wall to give ULM a 4-2 lead in the top of the seventh inning. Cassel also scored on the long ball after reaching on a hit-by-pitch.
Druhan (1-7) was given the loss after allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits. She did strikeout three, but walked four.
The Warhawks and Jaguars finish the three-game series on Sunday with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
