SAN ANTONIO - A late rally was not enough to
overcome an early deficit as the ULM baseball team dropped an 11-6 decision to
Texas-San Antonio in the opening game of the 2012 regular season Saturday night
at Roadrunner Field.
Texas-San Antonio (1-0) struck early in the
bottom of the first inning when John Welborn smashed a triple to the gap in right
center field, ultimately scoring on a throwing error by ULM first baseman Joey
Rapp for a quick 1-0 lead. Warhawks
starter Randy Zeigler (0-1) persevered through the remainder of the inning,
striking out Daniel Rockett to escape the frame.
ULM (0-1) got on the board for the first time
in 2012 in the top of the fourth inning.
Rapp drove a 2-0 pitch from Roadrunner starter Casey Selsor (1-0) into
left field for a leadoff single. Judd Edwards
followed two batters later with a double to score Rapp and bring the Warhawks
within one run at 2-1.
The Roadrunners opened a six-run advantage after
a surge in the bottom half of the sixth inning.
RJ Perucki singled down the right field line off ULM reliever Andrew
Richardson, scoring a pair of runs for Texas-San Antonio. Riley Good added a two-out double to right
center, scoring Perucki and Matthew James to give the Roadrunners an 8-2 lead.
The Warhawks scored three runs in the top of
the eighth inning to cut into the 8-2 hole.
Taylor Abdalla smacked a one-out double to left field, scoring Edwards
from second base. Logan Fiasco then
connected on a two-run single to right field, scoring Abdalla and Brandon
Alexander to close the gap to three runs at 8-5. Les Aulds singled up the middle to keep the
pressure on, but Roadrunner pitcher Blake Denman forced Caleb Clowers to ground
to the shortstop Perucki for an unassisted putout at second base that ended the
threat.
Texas-San Antonio halted the ULM momentum,
scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, two on a single from
Ryan Dalton, to push the cushion back to 11-5.
The Warhawks struck for a run in the bottom of the ninth after Rapp
scored on an errant pickoff attempt by Roadrunner pitcher Cody Scott, but
Adballa struck out looking to end the game.
Rapp led the ULM offense with a 3-for-4 night
at the plate, drawing one walk and scoring two runs. Jeremy Sy added a pair of base hits and
Fiasco chipped in two RBIs. Zeigler
threw five innings of four-run baseball, walking three and striking out seven
to take the loss.
Good paced Texas-San Antonio with three hits,
two RBIs and a stolen base. Perucki
added three RBIs and two runs scored. Selsor
allowed two earned runs over six innings, walking two men and striking out
seven in a winning effort.
Both teams return to Roadrunner Field for a
scheduled doubleheader Sunday, slated for an 11 a.m. first pitch. The games can be heard live on Talk 540 AM in
Monroe.
