LAFAYETTE, La. – In the first game of a double-elimination field, the ULM softball program dropped an 8-1 decision to the No. 22 team in the country, South Alabama, at the Sun Belt Conference Championships on Thursday at Lamson Park.
The sixth-seeded Warhawks (24-26) scored in the third frame on an RBI single from SBC Freshman of the Year Rochelle Roberts. The hit knocked in All-Conference Second-Team selection Miyuki Navarrete who reached on an infield single and stole second.
Despite allowing just one hit, Samantha Hamby (16-16) took the loss after earning the start. She let up just one earned run in 1.2 innings. Melanie Coyne entered in relief and tallied a pair of strikeouts in 3.1 innings. Jessica Colliver tossed a scoreless frame in the sixth.
For second-seeded USA (39-11), Farish Beard (21-5) picked up the win after striking out 12 batters and throwing a complete-game.
The Jaguars took control early after plating five runs in the second inning. The first came on a base hit with bases loaded by Emily Messer. USA garnered four more runs, all unearned, to pull ahead.
USA scored its final three runs in the third inning, including another RBI hit from Messer. Kaitlyn Griffith added on with a two-run single down the leftfield line but was thrown out by Courtney Dutreix trying to stretch at second base.
Earlier in the day, Roberts was named to the College Sports Madness All-Sun Belt First-Team while both Navarrete and Alexis Cacioppo were named to the publication's All-SBC Second-Team.
The Warhawks are still alive in the double-elimination bracket and will play again at 11:00 a.m. on Friday. They will take on the loser of top-seeded UL-Lafayette and fourth-seeded WKU.
ULM earned a spot among the final four after ousting No. 7 Troy and No. 3 Georgia State on Wednesday.
