ULM Warhawks

Janel Salanoa led ULM for the day after a 3-for-5 performance at plate while Brianna Love hit her second home run of the season and collected a team-high two RBI, two runs and a stolen base. Salanoa and Jessica Olguin were selected for the All-Tournament Team following their performances over the weekend. 

Heather Fritz earned the win in the circle against Sam Houston State after she replaced Stephanie Routzon in the sixth inning and struck out three in nine batters faced while allowing just one hit and no runs. Tiffany Mills pitched six innings in the nightcap and earned the loss after allowing just five hits and one earned run in in 25 batters faced. 

ULM claimed its third win in one week over Sam Houston State Sunday morning as the Warhawks downed the Bearkats 5-4 in eight innings to earn its first win of the tournament. ULM also defeated Sam Houston State with an identical 5-4 eight inning result last Sunday. 

Love led the Warhawks with a perfect 2-for-2 performance at plate and belted her second home run of the season to collect two RBI along with a team-high two runs and three walks. Roxy Cassel, Melissa Rivera and Salanoa each also had one RBI while Cassel and Love each stole one base. 

Routzon pitched five innings for the Warhawks and gave up four earned runs in nine hits with one strikeout before Fritz entered the circle in the sixth inning to relieve her. Fritz (1-1) had a stellar performance with just one hit in three innings pitched and nine batters faced and collected three strikeouts to earn the win. 

Sarah Allison went a team-best 2-for-3 for the Bearkats and had one run while Ashley Isbell collected a team-high two RBI. Tomi Garrison earned the loss in the circle after pitching 7.1 innings and gave up 14 hits for five runs, four unearned while striking out eight. 

ULM was the first to score as Love and Jessica Olguin earned back-to-back walks to lead off the first inning. Cassel fired an RBI single through the right side to plate Love and advance Olguin to third before stealing second. The Warhawks loaded the bases on one out with a Salanoa walk before West and Katie Girardi both struck out to allow the Bearkats to escape the inning down 1-0.

Sam Houston State (7-12) broke out with a three-run second inning as Allison and Tayler Gray each led off with a single through the left side to reach. Shelbi Tucker got out at first with a sacrifice bunt that advanced the runners each a base before an Isbell two RBI double pushed Allison and Gray across home plate. Another single put runners on the corners before another RBI double gave Sam Houston State a 3-1 advantage.

The Warhawks responded immediately in the bottom of the second with Love's second home run of the season as she hit a bomb over the left field wall to score herself and Miyuki Navarrete who reached on a single through the right side. Olguin reached as Salanoa singled to right center and moved up a base on the throw before a Rivera single RBI bunt plated Olguin to grab back the lead 4-3. 

The Bearkats evened the score in third inning with a run by Kim Damian as she singled before a sacrifice bunt put her on second. A Tucker RBI single up the middle scored the run before Isbell grounded out to end the inning, the score tied 4-4.

After a scoreless four innings the game went into an extra eighth inning where ULM claimed the win. After Sam Houston State was unable to score, Elena Dimattia was placed on second to pinch run for Cassel before Ayala's RBI single to right center plated her for the 5-4 winning run. 

It was a pitcher's duel in the nightcap against No. 23 Houston (12-3) as ULM was unable to score and had just five hits for the game with 10 total runners left on base to drop a 1-0 decision. Salanoa and Samantha Riojas each went 1-for-2 while Olguin, Cassel and Rivera also collected a hit. Mills (3-4) pitched all six innings and allowed five hits for one earned run in 25 batters faced while striking out two. 

Holly Anderson had the only RBI of the game after going 1-for-3 at plate while four other Cougars each also recorded a hit. Donna Bourgeois threw a complete game in the circle and also allowed five hits for no runs while striking out four in 26 batters faced. 

The lone run of the game came in the bottom of the fifth inning when Kathy Sherman belted a triple deep to left center to lead off. Anderson's single to the left side plated Sherman to give Houston a 1-0 advantage. 

ULM will continue play on the road next week with a single game against Alcorn State Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. followed by a trip to Knoxville, Tenn., to play in No. 8 Tennessee's tournament next Friday and Saturday where they will face host Tennessee, Furman, Georgia Southern and the Dutch National Team.