JONESBORO, Ark. - A big four-run first inning
and solid pitching from Randy Zeigler powered the ULM baseball team to a 9-0
shutout victory over Arkansas State Saturday evening at Tomlinson Stadium.
The nine-run winning scoring margin was the
largest for the Warhawks this season. It
was the second time that ULM shut out an opponent in 2012, having blanked Sam
Houston State 2-0 Feb. 24.
The Warhawks (15-15, 3-8 SBC) loaded the
bases to begin the game, as Les Aulds reached on an error, Caleb Clowers
singled through the left side and Jeremy Sy drew a full-count walk off Arkansas
State (18-14, 8-4 SBC) starter Daniel Wright (1-3) in the top of the first
inning. Joey Rapp forced a 3-2 walk with
the bags full to push across Aulds for the first ULM run of the contest
(1-0).
An RBI groundout by Taylor Abdalla and a
single through the right side off the bat of Brandon Alexander pushed the
advantage to 3-0. Corben Green laced a
1-1 Wright offering into left field, scoring Abdalla from second to extend the
ULM lead to 4-0.
Zeigler (3-4) faced the minimum during his
first two innings of work thanks to a pair of double plays in the field. Zeigler then punched out Ryan Emery looking
for the final out of the bottom of the second frame.
The ULM southpaw cruised through the bottom
of the third, retiring the Red Wolves 1-2-3 to keep the home team off the
scoreboard. Austin Potts flew out to
Aulds in left field, Stuart Levy popped out to Sy at shortstop and Zeigler
struck out Dustin Jones swinging for out number three.
Zeigler surrendered six hits in 8.1 innings
of work, walking four and striking out six batters.
Claude Johnson roped a base hit in the bottom
of the fifth inning with one out, the first Red Wolf base runner to reach
against Zeigler since the second frame.
Zeigler forced pinch hitter Daniel Short and Potts each to fly out to
post his fifth shutout inning.
Sy blasted a double into the corner in left
field on a 0-1 offering from reliever Cody Woodhouse in the top of the sixth
inning, scoring Logan Fiasco from second base to up the ULM lead to 5-0 and
bring Rapp to the plate with one out.
The senior first baseman smoked a 1-1 pitch over the left field wall for
his seventh home run of the season, putting ULM firmly in control by eight runs
(8-0).
Rapp reached base in all five of his plate
appearances, going 2-for-2 with four RBIs and three walks drawn. Clowers and Green each added three hits for
ULM, with Clowers scoring three times.
Arkansas State finally got to Zeigler in the
bottom of the sixth, as Levy and Michael Faulkner each drew full-count walks. The Warhawks held the Red Wolves to another
scoreless frame, as Zeigler forced Zach George to fly out to Alexander in
center field.
Clowers sent the first pitch he saw from
Jacob Bax through the right side to kick start ULM in the top of the eighth
inning. Sy clocked a double off the top
of the left field wall, missing a home run by inches and holding Clowers at
third base. A five-pitch walk to Rapp
loaded the bases full of Warhawks, and an ensuing single off the bat of Edwards
extended the ULM lead to 9-0.
The two teams will meet in the rubber match
of the three-game set Sunday at 1 p.m.
