BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- ULM lead for the majority of Sunday's contest, but Samford scored the game-tying run in the seventh and picked up the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th to earn a 6-5 win at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
ULM (7-9) loaded the bases in the top of the 10th, but a 1-2-3 double play ended the Warhawk threat.
Samford (11-4) started the 10th with a base runner via a hit-by-pitch followed by a sacrifice bunt gave the Bulldogs a runner in scoring position. Caleb Bryson drove in pinch runner Frankie Navarrete with a RBI double to right field to give Samford the win.
Tyler Bray (1-2) was tagged with the loss after allowing one run on one hit with a walk and two strikeouts in 2.1 innings of relief.
Mark Donham (1-0) earned the win in relief for Samford as he allowed one hit and two walks with one strikeout in one inning of work.
ULM got things going in the top of the first inning as Keelin Rasch connected on his first homer in a Warhawk uniform. Rasch's solo-blast to left with two outs gave the Warhawks the early 1-0 lead.
Samford responded with a pair of runs in the home half of the first inning. With two outs in the frame, Heath Quinn drove in Brandon Powell with a RBI double down the left field line. After a fielding error at short and a walk, Samford took the lead, 2-1, as Quinn scored (unearned) on a wild pitch.
The Warhawks, thanks to a successful hit and run, evened the game at 2-2 in the top of the second inning. With Chet Simoneaux standing on first, Jeff Fuller doubled down the left field line, allowing Simoneaux to score all the way from first to tie the game.
ULM posted three runs in the third inning as they regained the lead, 5-2. Kodie Tidwell got things going as he singled to center field to lead of the inning. Anthony Herrera followed with a single through the right side and the hit-and-run worked to perfection as Tidwell moved to third. Herrera stole second and Tidwell was able to score from third as he beat the throw to the plate to give ULM a 3-2 lead.
Herrera moved to third on a passed ball as Dalton Herrington drew a walk and Herrera later scored on a wild pitch for the fourth ULM run of the game. Fuller capped the frame with a RBI double to right center (Herrington scored) to give ULM a 5-2 lead.
Tyler Filliben led off the bottom of the third with a solo homer over the wall in left center to bring the Bulldogs within two runs (5-3). Samford's Tripp Martin attempted to steal home, but was tagged out at home to end the frame.
Samford added a single run in the bottom of the fourth as T.J. Dixon drove in Hunter Swiling with a RBI single to trim the Warhawk lead to one run at 5-4.
After two straight innings of no score, Samford broke the streak as it scored a single run in the bottom of the seventh to even the game at 5-5. With two on and two outs, Quinn singled to right center and picked up a RBI as Powell scored from second base.
Four of the Warhawks' next five games are at the friendly confines of Warhawk Field, beginning with a Tuesday night contest against Jackson State (6 p.m.). After a midweek tilt Wednesday at Jackson State (Jackson, Miss.; 6 p.m.), ULM will open Sun Belt Conference play as it welcomes UL-Lafayette to Monroe for a three-game series beginning Friday at 6 p.m.
For updates throughout the season on the ULM baseball team, be sure to follow the squad on twitter @ULM_BSB.
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