MONROE, La. - Brianna Love smashed her 15th home run of the season to break ULM's single-season home run record and lead the softball team to a 6-1 victory and season sweep of Alcorn State Friday evening at the ULM Softball Complex.
The senior outfielder's bomb came in her first at-bat and snapped another of 2011 ULM Hall of Fame inductee Lori Tande Bruscato's many records by pushing her past the original record of 14 home runs set in the 2002 season. It also gives Love 44 total for her career.
The victory gives ULM a 27-23 record on the season, tying the most wins the Warhawks have had in a single season since winning 27 games in 2006. ULM is just three wins shy of the 30-win plateau which it hasn't reached since racking up 31 victories in 2001. The Warhawks also defeated the Lady Braves 5-4 back on Mar. 2 earlier this season.
Love went 3-for-3 with one walk for ULM (27-23) and scored a team-high two runs and two RBIs. Four other Warhawks also crossed home plate while Roxy Cassel, Melissa Rivera and Samantha Riojas each had one RBI.
Jessica Chastka (5-1) picked up her fifth win of the season after going the minimum 4.0 innings and allowed just one earned run on six hits with four strikeouts. Heather Fritz threw a sterling final 3.0 innings by also fanning four batters while allowing just one hit and two walks.
The Lady Braves' Shawna Bruton led off with a bunt in the first inning and stole second before reaching home off a double up the middle by Bianca Armstrong to score the first run on the game. Love's home run over the left field wall came in the bottom of the inning to quickly even the score 1-1.
Love knocked in the go-ahead run in the third inning with a grounder up the middle to score Regina Ayala after the Warhawks loaded the bases with two walks and a fielding error. Cassel pushed ULM's lead to 3-1 after Riojas nailed a double down the left field line to score Love from second.
The Warhawks cushioned their lead in the fifth inning when Jessica Olguin made it home on a wild pitch and Cassel nailed an RBI double to plate Love. The spree ended when Rivera reached on a fielder's choice that scored Janel Salanoa to give ULM a 6-1 victory.
Alcorn State (15-31) was led by Bruton and Armstrong who each went 2-for-4 at bat with a triple and double, respectively, while Burton had the lone run and Armstrong the lone RBI. Deanna Rancilio (8-10) earned the loss in the circle after allowing six earned runs on seven hits with three walks and no strikeouts.
ULM completes its regular season with its final Sun Belt Conference series of 2011 next weekend when it hosts in-state rival UL-Lafayette beginning with a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. at the ULM Softball Complex.
