MONROE, La. -- Dalton Herrington hit a three run homer in the sixth and Dalton Todd added a solo blast in the seventh but it was not enough as ULM fell to visiting UL-Lafayette, 5-4, in 10 innings Thursday night at Warhawk Field.
With the Ragin' Cajuns (36-17, 17-11) leading 2-0, the Warhawks finally broke through in the sixth as they plated three runs in the sixth to take a one-run lead. Brandon Alexander led off the inning with a single up the middle and Judd Edwards reached base as he was hit by an Austin Robichaux pitch to give the Warhawks two on with no outs in the frame. After Justin Stawychny reached on a fielder's choice, Herrington connected on his sixth homer of the season to put ULM in front, 3-2.
In the seventh, ULM (18-34, 7-21) doubled its lead as Todd sent the first pitch he saw over the wall in left as the Warhawks increased their lead to 4-2. The homer by Todd was the second off of Robichaux -- entering Thursday's contest, Robichaux had allowed just four homers all season (13 appearances).
UL-Lafayette evened the contest (4-4) in the top of the eighth as Michael Strentz connected on a two-run homer to left center.
After a scoreless ninth, the Ragin' Cajuns scored what proved to be the winning run in the top of the 10th. Jace Conrad tripled down the left field line with one out and was able to cross home plate when Dex Kjerstad's high chopper bounced off of the glove of a leaping Jeff Fuller at second base as UL-Lafayette took a 5-4 lead.
Corben Green reached on a throwing error and was replaced by pinch runner Ryan Bergeron. Bergeron moved to second on a groundout by Stawychny but was unable to get any closer to home plate as Herrington grounded out and Taylor Abdalla struck out.
Both starting pitcher's earned no-decisions in the contest. ULM's Andrew Richardson allowed two runs on five hits with five walks and four strikeouts in 5.2 innings, while Robichaux surrendered four runs on seven hits with one walk and seven strikeouts in 6.2 innings.
ULM reliever Tyler Bray (4-3) suffered the loss after allowing a single run in the 10th. Bray allowed two hits and struckout three in 2.2 innings. Abdalla led ULM with two hits while Herrington tallied three RBI in a losing effort.
Ragin' Cajun reliever Kendall Mayer earned the win to improve to 2-0 on the season. Mayer faced just two batters and recorded two outs. Ben Carter earned his second save of the season after recording the final out of the game. Strentz paced the Ragin' Cajuns with two hits, two RBI and one run.
The two teams will return to the diamond tomorrow night at 6 p.m.
Cale Wine (RS-Sr., RHP, 6-7, 3.89) will get the ball for ULM while UL-Lafayette will likely counter with Cody Boutte (Jr., LHP, 8-3, 5.26).
