NATCHITOCHES, La. - Northwestern State held
off the ULM baseball team 3-2 Tuesday night in non-conference action at
Brown-Stroud Field.
Jeff Fuller drew a four-pitch walk against Northwestern
State's (15-24) Colin Bear with one out in the top of the eighth inning and
moved into scoring position on a Caleb Clowers single. A wild pitch by reliever Joe Scanio later in
the frame scored Fuller to pull ULM (19-22) within two runs (3-1). A base knock up the middle by Les Aulds
plated Clowers and knocked the deficit down to 3-2.
The Warhawks pushed the tying run to second
base in the top of the ninth inning, as pinch hitter Brandon Alexander was hit
by a pitch with one out. Corben Green
moved Alexander into scoring position at second with a ground out to third
base, but Carson Goldsmith punched out the next batter Justin Stawychny looking
to end the game.
The Demons utilized a double by Will Watson
and a fielding error by Joey Rapp on a hard hit ball off the bat of Nick
Hinojos to take a quick 2-0 first inning lead against ULM starter Alex
Hermeling (1-3). A second fielding error
by the Warhawks allowed Hinojos to score and opened the Northwestern State
advantage to 3-0.
Hermeling hung a second straight zero in the
Northwestern State column in the bottom of the third inning, as Bear lined out
to Clowers at second base for a double play that ended the frame.
Judd Edwards slashed a fourth-inning double
to the gap in right center field off Demon starter Jamie Bittle (1-0) for the
first ULM hit of the game. A deep fly
ball to left field hit by Rapp moved Edwards to third base with two outs. Bittle forced Taylor Abdalla to ground out to
third base to keep the Warhawks off the scoreboard.
ULM got some offensive momentum rolling in the
top of the fifth, as Green rapped a leadoff double down the left field line and
Stawychny legged out a bunt single. Bittle
struck out Fuller swinging and Stawychny was caught stealing to record two
quick outs. Bittle punched out Clowers
looking to strand Green at third base.
Fraser Adams sat the Demons down in order
during the bottom of the sixth inning.
Nick Purdy, Todd Wallace and Ryan Westbrook were all retired on infield
groundouts.
Six different Warhawks contributed hits to
the offensive cause, with Aulds adding an RBI.
Hermeling allowed three runs (two earned) in his 4.1 innings to take the
loss.
ULM travels to Western Kentucky for a
three-game Sun Belt Conference series this weekend. Saturday's game has been moved to a 12 p.m.
first pitch, and will be televised live on the Sun Belt Network and ESPN3.com.
