LAFAYETTE, La. -- ULM
(8-11, 0-2) starter Cale Wine went the distance Saturday afternoon, but a trio
of Warhawk errors led to five unearned runs for UL-Lafayette (15-3, 2-0) in the
third inning as the homestanding Ragin' Cajuns claimed a 5-2 victory at M. L. "Tigue"
Moore Field.
Wine fell to 2-3 on the season as five unearned runs
scored on his watch as he allowed nine hits and two walks with three
strikeouts. The loss Saturday marked the
second time this season that Wine was tagged with a loss despite allowing zero
earned runs.
Taylor Abdalla tallied the first hit of the game for either
team with a single through the right side to lead off the second inning. Kodie Tidwell followed with a single to left
center and Abdalla was able to move to third as center fielder Seth Harrison had
trouble fielding the ball. Abdalla was
caught in a rundown on Chris Dudley's fielder's choice and was ultimately
tagged out at home, but ULM was able to put two runners in scoring
position. The Warhawks scored the first
run of the game as Tidwell scored on a RBI groundout by Dalton Herrington as
ULM took a 1-0 lead for the second time in the weekend series.
UL-Lafayette capitalized on three ULM errors as the Ragin'
Cajuns took a 5-1 advantage with five unearned runs in the home half of the
third inning. With one out and Dex
Kjerstad standing on second, Ryan Leonards singled up the middle and a diving
stop by Tidwell forced a play at the plate.
Tidwell's throw home beat Kjerstad, but catcher Logan Fiasco was unable
to hold on to the ball as the Ragin' Cajuns evened the contest at one. The big inning for UL-Lafayette was capped by
a Chase Compton two-run homer over the wall in left.
With one out in the sixth, Judd Edwards was hit by a
pitch for the second time of Saturday's contest and moved to second on a balk
by Ragin' Cajun starter Austin Robichaux.
Corben Green followed with a single to right to give ULM runners on the
corners, but the Warhawks were unable to push any runs across as UL-Lafayette
was able to maintain its four-run lead.
ULM threatened again in the top of the eighth inning as
Judd Edwards and Corben Green were each hit by a pitch to give the Warhawks a
pair of base runners with two outs. The
Warhawks were again unable to push any runs across as Abdalla struck out to end
the ULM eighth.
The Warhawks concluded the scoring with a single run in
the top of the ninth inning. With two outs
in the inning, Herrington singled thru the right side and advanced to second on
a balk by Ragin' Cajun reliever Matt Hicks.
Herrington scored on Jeff Fuller's RBI double down the left field line
to set the final tally at 5-2 in favor of UL-Lafayette.
Ragin' Cajun starter Austin Robichaux earned the win to improve
to 3-0 on the season after allowing just one run on three hits with eight
strikeouts in 7.2 innings. Matt Hicks
earned his sixth save of the season after pitching the final 1.1 innings of the
contest as he allowed one run on two hits with one punchout.
The weekend finale will take place tomorrow afternoon
with first pitch slated for 1 p.m.
Alex
Dumaine is expected to get the start for the Warhawks and the southpaw owns a
1-0 record and a 2.46 ERA. Meanwhile,
the Ragin' Cajuns are expected to counter with junior, left hander Cody Boutte (3-0,
5.59 ERA).
