KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The ULM softball team broke out with five runs in the sixth inning to claim a 10-5 win over Georgia Southern in its final game of the Tennessee Classic Saturday afternoon. The Warhawks finished with a 2-1 record for the Classic to improve to 11-9 on the season.
Roxy Cassel went 2-for-2 with two walks, two RBI and a team-high-tying three runs to lead ULM while Melissa Rivera went 2-for-3 and had a team-high-tying three RBI with one double and one stolen base. Janel Salanoa also added three RBI and three runs in a 1-for-2 performance that included two walks and her fourth home run of the season. Brianna Love also had two runs.
Tiffany Mills pitched her third complete game of the season and threw three strikeouts and eight hits for five runs, all earned. With the win, Mills improves to 5-5 on the season.
For the Eagles, Marie Fogle led with a team-best 3-for-4 performance at the plate that included one run and a team-high-tying two RBI. Mackenzie Williams also added two RBI and a team-high two runs after going 1-for-2.
Allie Miles (3-5) threw 5.2 innings in the circle and allowed nine hits for nine runs, eight earned while striking out four to be credited the loss. Megen Smith pitched 1.1 innings and gave up two walks, one hit and one run.
With two outs in the first inning, ULM's Cassel singled through the left side before Salanoa smacked a home run over left center field to take an early 2-0 lead.
Georgia Southern cut the Warhawks' lead by half 2-1 in the bottom of the inning as Fogle led off with a double to right center before Tarashuk plated her on a sacrifice bunt.
The Eagles grabbed their first lead of the game in the second inning when Hannah Ennis and Mackenzie Williams each reached on a single and walk, respectively, before advancing a base off a sacrifice bunt. Fogle ripped a triple down the left field line to drive both runs home and take a 3-2 lead.
The Warhawks immediately responded in the top of the third inning with a Cassel RBI double which plated Love to knot the score 3-3. Two more runs ensued when Cassel scored on a throwing error followed by Salanoa who made it home with an RBI single by Elise West, the Warhawks up 5-3.
The score evened for the second time at 5-5 in the fourth inning when Williams nailed a home run to left center field to score herself and Nicole Benton who entered to pinch run for Ennis after she reached with a single.
ULM hammered the Eagles with five runs in the sixth inning to eventually put the game away. The Warhawks loaded the bases with a triple, a single and a walk before back-to-back walks of Cassel and Salanoa scored Miyuki Navarrete and Love. A Rivera three RBI double to right center pushed all three base runners across home plate before West grounded out to end the inning, the Warhawks claiming the final three outs of the game to earn the 10-5 victory.
The Warhawks conclude a four-week-long road schedule this Wednesday at 4 p.m. when they travel to Nacogdoches, Texas, to play Stephen F. Austin in the first game of a home-and-away series with the Ladyjacks.
