BOONE, N.C. -- ULM (11-9, 1-4 Sun Belt Conference) brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth but the Warhawks were unable to tie the contest in a 7-5 loss to Appalachian State (7-15, 2-6 SBC) on Saturday at Smith Stadium.
Appalachian State struck first as the Mountaineers scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first. Brandon Burris, who reached on an error, was able to come around score later in the frame on a RBI single by Dillon Dobson.
In the top of the third, Robbie Podorsky led off the inning with a double to left and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Anthony Herrera. Podorsky was able to race home and even the game at 1-1 as Josh Faciane tallied a RBI on a sacrifice fly that was caught in foul territory by left fielder Brandon Burris.
Appalachian State regained the lead, 2-1, with an unearned run in the third. Dobson came in to score on a RBI ground out to third by Conner Leonard. Two innings later, the Mountaineers pushed the lead to two (3-1) as Dobson drove in Burris with a RBI double off of the wall in right center.
The Mountaineers tallied three runs in the sixth, two with two outs to extend their lead to 6-1.
Warhawks cut into the deficit with a single run in the seventh to cut the Appalachian State lead to 6-2. ULM was able to load the bases and scored a run as Josh Faciane drew a bases loaded walk and picked up a RBI as Jacob Stockton scored with two outs. The Warhawks were unable to provide further damage as they left the bases loaded.
An inning later, ULM climbed within three runs as Danny Springer delivered a solo homer to left to close the gap to 6-3.
After Appalachian State pushed its lead to 7-3, the Warhawks rally came up just short as they fell, 7-5. Herrera and Tidwell each tallied one RBI in the inning and ULM had the tying run at the plate but the Warhawks were unable to scratch across any more runs in the top of the ninth.
Brandon Bell (3-3) was tagged with the loss after allowing one earned run (three total) on five hits and five walks. In five innings on the hill, Bell struck out five Mountaineers.
Herrera paced the Warhawks at the plate as he tallied two hits and drove in one run.
For updates throughout the season on the baseball squad, be sure to follow the team on Twitter @ULM_BSB and Facebook (www.facebook.com/ULMBaseball).
#PeddiePostGame
“Offense is our hiccup right now. We were able to get runners in scoring position with chances, but we were unable to capitalize. We are still continuing to work on that and we will get better, but for today we didn't come through when we needed to.”
#WarhawkNotables
-Robbie Podorsky notched his first collegiate double in the top of the third inning… He also scored his fifth run of the season (sac fly by Josh Faciane).
-Brandon Bell recorded his fourth straight start of five or more innings as he logged five innings of work Saturday afternoon.
-Josh Faciane recorded his 15th career two-out RBI as his bases loaded walk in the seventh allowed Jacob Stockton to score.
-Danny Springer notched his fourth homer as a Warhawk with a solo shot to left in the top of the eighth… It is the second homer of the week for Springer (solo HR at Grambling State, Tuesday, March 17).
-Dalton Todd tallied his first double of the season with a two-bagger to the gap in left center to lead off the ninth.
#NextGame
ULM and Appalachian State will wrap-up the three-game Sun Belt series on Sunday afternoon. The contest is set to begin at 1 p.m. (ET).
