MIAMI - Perry Smith drove home
four runs including the game-winner in the 11th inning as ULM
defeated FIU 8-7 in the Sun Belt Conference series finale at University Park.
Kelvin York led off the
decisive 11th inning with a double over the head of FIU center
fielder Pablo Bermudez. Jarrett Hammond, who was 2-for-4 in the game, then put
down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move York to third with just one out. Smith,
who fell behind in the count 0-2 against FIU closer Eric Berkowitz, lined a
ball into right field to allow York to tag up and score.
FIU sent the game into extra
innings with a five-run rally over the final five innings of the game. Garrett
Wittels tied the game with a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning -
the hit extended his hit streak out to 38 games after he had gone 0-3 with a
walk in his previous four at-bats.
The Warhawks (16-27, 6-15 Sun
Belt) scored three in the second and four in the fourth to stake a 7-2
advantage. Hammond plated the first run on a squeeze bunt that he beat out for
a single and Smith followed with a two-run single back up the middle.
York delivered a one-out
double to get the Warhawks going in the fourth and Hammond reached on an
infield single. Smith then sent another single back up the middle to score
York. Following a single by Shane Ardoin, Smith scored on a grounder by Caleb
Clowers and Boomer Blanchard plated two with a single up the middle.
York was 3-for-5 with three
runs scored as the Warhawks finished with 13 hits as a team. Smith finished the
contest 2-for-4 and Clowers was 2-for-5.
Jordy Poche had a solid start
for the Warhawks allowing just four runs on eight hits over seven innings of
work. Wil Browning (3-1) picked up the win for the Warhawks with three innings
of work. Josh Miller entered the game in the 11th inning with no
outs and the tying run on first base. He retired all three batters he faced to
earn his first save of the season.
FIU (25-18, 12-9) struck first
with two runs in the bottom of the first. Bermudez led off the game with a
double and came around to score on a single by Jabari Henry. Henry would come
home to score two batters later on a grounder.
Poche held the Golden Panthers
scoreless over the next three innings before Mike Martinez led off the fifth
inning with his second home run of the season.
Junior Arrojo had an RBI
single in the seventh and Yoandy Barroso had a sacrifice fly in the eighth to
close the gap to two, 7-5. Henry set up Wittels' game-tying hit with a
sacrifice fly with one out in the ninth. Bermudez, Henry and Arrojo all had two
hits for the Golden Panthers.
Berkowitz (3-3) was charged
with the loss after working a career-high four innings. He retired the first
eight batters he faced before a two-out single by Judd Edwards in the 10th
inning. The Warhawks chased FIU starter Scott Rembisz after just 3 1/3 innings
of work - he allowed seven runs (six earned) on nine hits.
The Warhawks wrap up their
five-game road trip on Tuesday night at in-state foe Tulane. ULM defeated the
Green Wave 4-3 in the fourth game of the season last year. First pitch is
scheduled for 6 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on the Warhawk Radio
Network.
