NATCHITOCHES, La. - The ULM softball team's bats were on
fire Saturday evening, collecting 11 hits including four for extra bases to
crush Southern 9-0 in five innings Saturday evening at the Lady Demon Diamond Complex. The
Warhawks end the first day of the NSU Lady Demon Classic going 1-1.
Alexis Cacioppo had a stellar 3-for-3 outing to score two
runs and one RBI. Janel Salanoa and Roxy Cassel also scored two runs apiece
while Kayla Boening collected three RBIs on two hits. Cacioppo, Cassel and
Haley McCall each nailed a double and Boening had a triple.
Samantha Hamby picked up her second complete game shutout of
the season with five strikeouts and four hits, improving to 3-2 overall.
ULM (9-7) blew the game wide open with five runs in the fourth
inning. McCall and Mackenzie Miller scored the first two runs after reaching on
a leadoff double and error, respectively, with Miller stealing home. Cacioppo
and Salanoa followed with back-to-back singles, Cacioppo's for an RBI after Miyuki
Navarrete reached on an error.
After Cacioppo was caught trying to steal third base, Cassel
walked to put two runners on with two outs. Boening came up big with her second
triple of the season to give the Warhawks the run-rule victory.
Cacioppo got things going with two outs in the first inning,
stealing second after singling up the middle to reach. Salanoa followed with a
single and advanced to second on a throwing error that allowed Cacioppo to
score. Cassel's double down the right field line brought Salanoa home before
scoring herself off a Boening single.
The Warhawks added a single run in the third inning when
Cassel grounded out, giving Cacioppo the opportunity to go home for her second
RBI of the game.
Four different Jaguars (3-9) managed a hit on the day, with
Danielle Jackson and Jasmine Payne each going 1-for-1. Gabrielle McDaniel gave
up 10 hits and eight runs in just 3.1 innings to earn the loss, with Carla
Arismendi throwing the final two outs with one hit and one run.
ULM plays two more contests tomorrow for the final day of
the NSU Lady Demon Invitational, first taking on Northwestern State again at 10
a.m. The Warhawks close the tournament against Southern approximately 30
minutes following the conclusion of the first game.
