MONROE, La. - A monstrous 11-run sixth inning
and a complete game shutout by Shelby Aulds led the ULM baseball team to a 13-0
victory over Middle Tennessee in game one of a Sun Belt Conference doubleheader
Saturday at Warhawk Field.
The Warhawks (18-20, 6-10 SBC) were just one
run from equaling a program-high 12 runs scored in a single inning during the
sixth frame, accomplished May 20, 2005 against Southeastern Louisiana and March
10, 1986 against Mississippi College.
ULM's 13 total runs and 17 hits both tied season-bests.
Aulds (3-1) needed just 102 pitches to throw
the shutout in his second career collegiate start. He allowed six hits (all singles), walked
none and struck out five Middle Tennessee (22-17, 9-7) hitters.
Les Aulds pulled a one-out double into right
field off Middle Tennessee starter Hunter Adkins (5-4) in the bottom of the
second inning. After Jeremy Sy drew a
five-pitch walk, Joey Rapp laced a 2-0 offering back up the middle for an RBI
single, scoring Aulds from first base to give ULM a 1-0 lead.
Shelby Aulds retired the first 10 batters he
faced before Justin Guidry line a one-out single to left center field in the
top of the fourth inning. The Warhawk
right-hander responded by forcing Johnny Thomas to bounce into a 4-6-3 double
play to end the frame.
Aulds hung the fifth straight zero in the
Blue Raider column in the top of the fifth, retiring the side in order on just
eight pitches. Trent Miller grounded out
to the mound, Hank LaRue was put out at first base Rapp to Aulds and Ethan
Williams struck out swinging.
The Warhawks added a run in the bottom of the
fifth inning, as Rapp grooved a single back up the middle to plate Caleb
Clowers (2-0).
Logan Fiasco ripped a full-count pitch from
Adkins up the middle to bring Brandon Alexander in from second and push the ULM
advantage to 3-0 to start the scoring surge in the bottom of the sixth. Les Aulds reached after a five-pitch walk
against reliever Cody Tollison to load the bases with one out. Clowers responded by dropping a bloop single
into left field to extend the cushion to 4-0.
A wild pitch from Middle Tennessee pitcher Wes Robinson found its way to
the backstop to score the Warhawks' fifth run of the game (5-0). Timely hitting allowed ULM to push eight
additional runs across in the frame to take a 13-0 lead.
Les Aulds and Rapp each led ULM with three
base hits, with Aulds adding two runs batted in and two runs scored and Rapp
three RBIs of his own. Clowers,
Alexander and Corben Green also chipped in two hits apiece for the Warhawks.
A fast start and steady pitching from
Johnathan Frebis allowed Middle Tennessee to claim the nightcap over ULM 3-2
and even the three-game series at 1-1.
ULM (18-21, 6-11 SBC) clawed back from a
two-run deficit in the bottom of the eighth inning, as a two-out single to
right field by Jeremy Sy scored Les Aulds to trim the deficit to 3-2 and chase
Frebis (4-2) from the contest. Reliever
Daniel Palo forced Joey Rapp to fly out to right field to end the inning and strand
Sy on base.
ULM pitcher Wil Browning sat the Blue Raiders down 1-2-3 in the top of the
ninth inning, giving the Warhawks life in the home half of the final
frame. Caleb Clowers lined a one-out
base knock into right field to kick start the rally. Palo retired Judd Edwards on a fly out and Justin
Stawychny striking out to end the ball game.
Middle Tennessee (23-17, 10-7 SBC) struck
quickly in the top of the first inning of game two, as leadoff man Ryan Ford
ripped a triple into the gap in right center off ULM starter Randy Zeigler
(4-5). A Justin Guidry sacrifice fly
plated Ford to give the Blue Raiders a 1-0 lead. Zeigler weathered the charge by striking out
Johnny Thomas and forcing Trent Miller to fly out to Stawychny in right field.
The Warhawks loaded the bases in the bottom
half of the first inning. Aulds led off
with an infield single and then moved to second base on an error by Miller in
right field. Rapp drew a full-count walk
against Frebis with no outs to give Taylor Abdalla an opportunity with the bags
full. A sacrifice fly to center field
scored Aulds and tied the game 1-1.
A Thomas double into the right field corner
in the top of the fourth inning scored Guidry from second base to pull Middle
Tennessee back on top 2-1. Zeigler
retired the next three Blue Raiders in order to strand Thomas at second.
Zeigler held Middle Tennessee at bay in the
top of the sixth inning, striking out Thomas looking on a 1-2 pitch and forcing
consecutive fly ball outs off the bats of Miller and Ethan Williams to keep ULM
within one run (2-1).
Pinch hitter Robert Lawrence slugged a 1-2
Zeigler offering deep into right field in the top of the seventh inning,
scoring Jordan Rorex from third base on the sacrifice fly to extend the Middle
Tennessee lead to 3-1.
Aulds logged his second multi-hit effort of
the day, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a stolen base for ULM. Sy added a pair of singles and an RBI.
Zeigler took the hard luck loss, allowing
three runs on three hits, striking out eight in eight full innings of work.
Frebis allowed two runs (one earned), walked
two and struck out five Warhawk batters in 7.2 innings pitched.
The two teams meet in the rubber match
Sunday, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at Warhawk Field.
