BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – ULM closed the deficit to one run in the top of the sixth inning but were unable to push any other runs across as Samford claimed a 9-6 win Saturday at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
ULM (7-8) trimmed the deficit to just one run after a big sixth inning. With two outs and Justin Stawychny on first and Dalton Herrington on second, Josh Faciane singled to left field and picked up a RBI as Herrington scored. Anthony Herrera followed and again drove in two runs again, this time with a triple down the left field line to set the score at 7-6 in favor of Samford.
In the bottom of the seventh, ULM appeared to be on its way to get out of a second and third situation, but a throwing error by Faciane allowed two unearned runs to score and put Samford (10-4) ahead by three and set the final tally at 9-6.
The loss was charged to ULM starter Alex Hermeling (0-1) as he allowed four earned runs on three hits and four walks in two-plus innings of work.
Stawychy finished 3-for-4 (two doubles), two runs and one RBI, while Herrera added four RBI on two hits.
Alex Milazzo (2-0) earned the win as he pitched five full innings, allowing six hits and three runs with two walks and four strikeouts. Tripp Martin led the Bulldogs with three RBI and two runs scored.
Samford struck for three runs in the bottom half of the first inning as Tripp Martin connected on a 3-2 offering and sent it over the wall in left. Martin's three-run homer also plated T.J. Dixon and Tyler Filliben.
ULM responded in the top of the second as it evened the game at 3-3. Chet Simoneaux led off the inning with a walk and Herrington followed with a single up the middle. Stawychny drove in the first run of the game for the Warhawks as his double off of the wall in left allowed Simoneaux to score. After a pair of strikeouts, the number nine-hole hitter Herrera delivered as he recorded the first and second RBI of his career with a single to right as Herrington and Stawychny scored.
Samford scored in the home half of the second inning to take a 4-3 lead after two complete. With two outs in the inning and Danny Rodriguez standing on first, Filliben tripled down the left field line to give the Bulldogs a one-run advantage.
The Bulldogs pushed their lead to four runs (7-3) as they scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Brandon Powell tallied two RBI with a single to left off of ULM's second reliever of the game Tyler Bray (runs charged to Cody Connally). Later in the frame Jordan Wren delivered a RBI single to center to conclude scoring in the fifth.
Sunday's finale between the Warhawks and the Bulldogs is slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch. Alex Dumaine (Sr., LHP) is slated to get the ball for ULM, while Samford will counter with junior, right-hander Cole Limbaugh.
For updates throughout the season on the ULM baseball team, be sure to follow the squad on twitter @ULM_BSB.
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