MONROE, La. - Roxy Cassel nailed a walk-off single with the
Warhawks trailing by two runs in the eighth inning to propel the ULM softball
team to a thrilling 5-4 win over Stephen F. Austin Wednesday night at the ULM
Softball Complex. With the win the Warhawks improve to four-consecutive
victories and a 4-0 record in extra-inning games this season.
Cassel's only hit of the game came in clutch, netting a
team-high-tying two RBIs along with Janel Salanoa's two RBIs after she went 2-for-3.
Elena DiMattia and Miyuki Navarrete each scored two runs apiece and Mackenzie
Miller added another while Navarrete snagged two stolen bases.
Samantha Hamby had a stellar performance in the circle by
giving up just two hits through seven innings, going a total 7.2 innings with
six hits, four earned runs and a ULM (12-7) season-best seven strikeouts.
Haylie Wilson (6-1) relieved Hamby with the Warhawks
trailing by two runs to be credited the win, throwing just one out by forcing a
ground out to get them out of a jam.
After the Ladyjacks (7-15) put two runs on the board in the
top of the eighth, a fired up ULM squad strung together three-straight singles
to come within one 4-3 and put runners DiMattia and Navarrete on base. Both
Warhawks moved into scoring position on a passed ball, and Cassel dropped a
single into the gap in center field to plate the game-tying and -winning runs.
With the score deadlocked 2-2 through seven innings Stephen
F. Austin's Faith Hoisager led off with a single and scored off a double by Bethany
Brown. Elizabeth Arana followed with a base hit to right field to send Brown
home, putting the pressure on ULM with a 4-2 lead.
Both teams got on the board with a pair of runs in
back-to-back innings, the Ladyjacks scoring first in the fourth to take a 2-0
advantage. Arana walked to reach first when a triple to the right field wall by
Cadie Weaver allowed her to round all three bases. Jessica Arana hit a single in
the next at bat to bring Weaver home.
The Warhawks answered in the fifth inning as DiMattia was
hit by a pitch and Navarrete and Alexis Cacioppo walked to load the bases. Salanoa
nailed a hard-hit double down the left field line which just stayed fair,
allowing two runners to go home and even the score 2-2.
Weaver led Stephen F. Austin in a 2-for-4 performance that
included one run and one RBI. Three more Ladyjacks scored single runs as well
as three single RBIs. Angela White (2-3) pitched a complete game by going all
7.2 innings and allowed four earned runs on nine hits and nine walks, fanning
four batters to pick up the loss.
ULM kicks off Sun Belt Conference play on the road this
weekend when it travels to Mobile, Ala., to play South Alabama. The Warhawks face
the Jaguars in a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. and conclude the series with a
game Sunday at 12 p.m.
