AUBURN, Ala. -- The ULM softball program fell twice Saturday despite an outstanding performance by Hollie Letourneau in the nightcap. The day began with a 9-2 loss to Auburn (3-0-1) followed by a 9-8 heart breaker against Morehead State (1-2).
GAME ONE -- Auburn (RV) 9, ULM 2
The Warhawks (2-2) fell 9-2 to the host Tigers to start play Saturday evening in the Plainsman Invitational. A second inning error allowed two Auburn runs to cross and ULM was never able to regain the lead.
Miyuki Navarrete led off the ballgame with a single and then stole second. She moved over to third one batter later on a groundout, but the Warhawks did not score in the opening inning.
Auburn scratched a run across in the first when Kasey Cooper drove in Morgan Estell from second. Estell reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a wild pitch during Cooper's at-bat.
ULM tied the game in the top of the second inning on Rochelle Roberts' RBI single. It was the freshman's first career RBI.
The Tigers answered in the bottom of the second when a two-out throwing error cost the Warhawks a pair of runs. Hamby was able to escape further damage, however, thanks to a nice catch by Courtney Dutreix for the final out of the inning.
ULM drew back within a run in the top of the fourth thanks to an RBI bloop single into right from Vanessa Garcia. Sidney Coy, who came into pinch run, scored from first on the play. Unfortunately, the Warhawks never got any closer.
Auburn then took advantage of several Warhawk miscues in the bottom of the fourth, scoring a total of five runs on two passed balls and three errors in the inning.
The Tigers added a deep solo homer in the bottom of the fifth to go up by seven, but the Warhawks shut down the Auburn offense for the remainder of the game.
GAME TWO -- Morehead State 9, ULM 8
ULM suffered a heartbreaking 9-8 defeat against Morehead State in a wild nightcap at Jane B. Moore Field. The teams combined for 16 hits, including five home runs. Both of ULM homers came off the bat of freshman catcher Hollie Letourneau, who made her first career start.
Morehead State's Samantha Howard matched Letourneau's two homer, five RBI performance. However, Howard's second long ball in the top of the seventh proved to be the game winner.
The Warhawks were down 4-0 before getting a chance to bat in the bottom of the first after the Eagles took the lead on a three-run blast by Samantha Howard. Karly Thompson then doubled and scored on a throwing error with two down for Morehead State's fourth run.
ULM cut the Eagle advantage in half in the bottom of the frame.
The Warhawks scratched another run across in the bottom of the second on an RBI single by Miyuki Navarrete. She drove in Vanessa Garcia, who walked on a 3-2 pitch earlier in the inning.
ULM took the lead for the first time in the bottom of the third thanks to Letourneau's first collegiate hit--a three-run home run into left center off Morehead State pitcher Megan Tymorek.
The lead did not last long, however, as the Eagles answered in the top of the fourth with a two out triple from Dana Hutchins. The knock drove in two runs and knotted the game at six. Two batters later, Hutchins scored on an RBI single by Howard to give the Eagles a 7-6 advantage.
After a quiet top half of the fifth, Letourneau once again gave ULM the lead, this time with a two-run homer that lifted the Warhawks to an 8-7 advantage.
Morehead State began the top of the seventh with back-to-back homers by Etter and Howard.
The second blast proved to be the game winner as the Warhawks were unable to get a run across in the bottom of the second.
ULM returns to action Sunday with a 3 p.m. battle against Tennessee Tech.
Support the Warhawks through participation in the Athletic Foundation, join the ULMAF by calling 318-342-5415.
Notes:
-Hollie Letourneau went 2-for-3 in her college debut and had five RBI with two homers. She is the second Warhawk to record a multi-homer game this season (Faith Bohack).
-Miyuki Navarrete once again stole three bases on the day, bringing her season total to six.
-Today's first game was the first-ever meeting between ULM and Auburn.
