MONROE, La. - ULM had its rally come up short in a 10-6 loss to
Nicholls State Saturday at Warhawk Field. The Warhawks trailed 10-1 through five
innings, but scored the final five runs of the game and had numerous chances to
cut into the margin even more.
ULM (7-4) finished with a season-high 14 hits and was led by a 5-for-5
performance from junior Judd Edwards. ULM stranded 14 baserunners and left the
bases loaded twice, including in the ninth inning.
The first three batters all reached base for the Warhawks in the ninth
inning to make things interesting, but Jordan McCoy got Jeremy Sy and Les Aulds
to strike out, and Caleb Clowers grounded out to end the game.
Nicholls State (5-6) scrapped for single runs in the first and third
innings off ULM starter Cale Wine (1-1) and opened things up in the fourth with
a seven-run inning.
Michael LeGrange reached on a fielding error by Clowers to open the
fourth inning, then stole second and reached third on a wild pitch from Wine.
After a walk to Beau Faulk, LeGrange scored on another wild pitch from Wine to
give the Colonels a 3-0 advantage.
Leo Vargas followed with a single up the middle to bring in Faulk and
end the night for Wine. Wine finished the night with three innings pitched,
giving up five runs (three earned) on three hits while striking out four.
Shelby Aulds replaced Wine and, after striking out Evan Weibel, gave up
three straight RBI singles to make the score 6-0 in favor of Nicholls State.
Jeremy Hill sealed the big inning with a three-run home run to right field to
give the Colonels a 9-0 lead.
After the Warhawks brought across a run in the bottom of the fourth,
Nicholls State answered back with a run in the fifth to take a 10-1 advantage.
Aulds, who entered the game without allowing a run in 12 innings this season,
gave up five runs on seven hits in 1 2/3 innings pitched Saturday.
ULM took advantage of an error with two runs in the sixth inning to cut
the margin to 10-3. The Warhawks countered with three runs in the seventh,
including Corben Green's first home run of the season to lead off the inning.
Sy added a two-RBI single to right field, but was thrown out at second base trying
to stretch it to a double.
Clowers and Joey Rapp had back-to-back singles in the eighth inning,
but nothing came of it as Green and Justin Stawychny each struck out to end the
threat.
Nicholls State starter Patrick Shreve (1-2) allowed just three runs in 5
2/3 innings to pick up his first victory of the season. The southpaw allowed
eight hits and struck out 10 batters while throwing 123 pitches.
ULM and Nicholls State wrap up the series Sunday with first pitch set
for 1 p.m. at Warhawk Field.
