MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Dalton
Herrington connected on the first homerun of his Warhawk career in the top of
the eighth inning, but it was not enough as ULM (5-4) fell to Memphis (6-3) by
a score of 4-2 Friday at FedExPark.
Trailing 3-0 after seven complete, ULM rallied with
two runs in the top of the eighth inning as Herrington sent the first pitch he
saw over the wall in right center to collect RBI four and five of the season as
Josh Faciane also scored.
Both starting pitchers earned quality starts, but Tiger
Sam Moll (2-1) earned the win after scattering five hits and one walk with nine
strikeouts in seven innings. Carey
Taylor (1-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs on five hits
with one walk in six innings of work.
Zach Willis led off the bottom of the fourth with a
single to left field for the first leadoff hit of the game for either
team. With one out in the inning, Bryce
Beeler singled to right allowing Willis to move to third. Beeler advanced to second on the play as
Taylor Abdalla tried to throw Willis out at third.
Tucker Tubbs drove in the first run of the game with a
RBI single through the left side allowing Willis to score and put the Tigers in
front, 1-0. Memphis increased the lead
to 2-0 as Drew Griffin recorded a RBI on the groundout to short (Beeler
scored). The Tiger fourth came to a
close as Ford Wilson popped out to second following an intentional walk to
Keaton Aldridge.
With one out in the sixth, the Warhawks stringed together
a trio of hits starting with Herrington's single to first base. Judd Edwards singled through the right side
and Justin Stawychny loaded the bases with a single to second base. Corben Green, facing a 2-1 count, grounded into
a double play to end the ULM threat.
In the home half of the sixth, Memphis pushed its lead to
3-0 when Tucker Tubbs drove in Jack Little with a RBI groundout to short.
Memphis made a pitching change to start the eighth as
Heith Hatfield relieved starter Sam Moll.
Faciane ledoff the inning with his first hit of the season, a single up
the middle. Herrington followed with the
only extra base hit of the contest as he homered on the first pitch he saw to
close the gap to one run (3-2). Memphis
then recorded three straight outs to end the Warhawk threat.
Bryce Beeler collected a single to left to chase reliever
Trey Setzer as ULM brought in Jared Dye with one out in the eighth. Austin Hatfield pitch ran for Beeler and
moved to second on a wild pitch. Tucker
Tubbs was hit by a pitch before Drew Griffin struck out swinging. The Warhawks made their second change of the
inning as Chad Miller replaced Dye. Keaton Aldridge delivered a RBI single to left
allowing Hatfield to score and increase the Memphis lead to two (4-2). The Tiger eighth ended with a Ford Wilson pop
out to first.
Abdalla led off the Warhawk ninth inning with a
walk to bring the tying run to the plate.
The Warhawks were unable to push any runs across as Jonathon Van Eaton
earned his third save of the season as he recorded two strikeouts and a
groundout.
Herrington led the Warhawks at the plate with two hits,
two RBI and one run. The Tigers were
paced by Keaton Aldridge (two hits, one RBI) and Tucker Tubbs (one hit, two
RBI).
ULM and Memphis will return to the diamond tomorrow with
first pitch slated for 2 p.m and the contest can be heard live on 540 AM. Cale Wine (RS-Sr., RH, 2-0, 0.57 ERA) is the
projected starter for the Warhawks, while the Tigers are expected to counter
with Erik Schoenrock (Jr., LH, 0-0, 3.48).
