BOONE, N.C. -- ULM totaled 13 hits including nine for extra-bases (eight doubles, one homer) in a 10-2 victory over Appalachian State in the series finale Sunday afternoon at Smith Stadium.
The Warhawks (12-9, 2-4 Sun Belt Conference) struck first and took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning for its first lead of the weekend. Kodie Tidwell hit a double down the right field line and came around to score on a two-out RBI single to left by Nathan Pugh.
Appalachian State (7-16, 2-7 SBC) evened the contest at 1-1 in the bottom of the second as Michael Pierson tripled to lead off the inning and came in to score on a RBI groundout by Noah Holmes.
Warhawks exploded for three runs in the top of the third inning as the visiting squad took a 4-1 lead after two-and-a-half innings. Tidwell got things going with his second double of the contest with one out in the inning. Keelin Rasch reached on an infield single, Nathan Pugh picked up his second RBI of the game as he reached on an error allowing Tidwell to score. Danny Springer followed and tallied two RBI with a double to right center to put the Warhawks ahead by three runs.
After Trey Setzer retired the Mountaineers in order in the bottom of the third, the Warhawks returned to the plate and scored another run to push lead to 5-1. Justin Stawychny led off the fourth with a double and was able to score later in the inning thanks to a sacrifice fly to center.
The Mountaineers trimmed the Warhawk lead to three runs as Dillon Dobson tallied a solo homer to right center in the bottom of the fourth.
After the two teams traded zeros in the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings, the Warhawks broke through for five runs in the top of the ninth. Anthony Herrera led off the inning with a single and Justin Stawychny followed with a two-run homer that snuck inside the left field foul pole to put ULM ahead, 7-2.
Robbie Podorsky followed with a double and came in to score when Cody Stone singled and moved to second on a fielding error by center fielder Bradley Morton. Tidwell followed with a double down the left field line, allowing Stone to score and push the ULM lead to seven runs. With two outs in the ninth, Pugh reached on a strikeout/wild pitch and Tidwell scored to give ULM a 10-2 advantage.
Tidwell and Stawychny led the Warhawks at the plate as the duo combined for seven hits (all extra bases [Tidwell, four doubles; Stawychny, two doubles and one homer]), five runs and three RBI.
Setzer picked up the win and improved to 3-0 on the season after allowing two earned runs on eight hits with two walks and six strikeouts in seven innings. Josh Leone earned his first save of 2015 after recording the final six outs of the game including three outs on five pitches in the eighth. In two innings, Leone allowed two hits and struck out one.
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
“From pitch one the team was excited today, not that they haven't been leading up to today's game, but as I stress to them you have to be ready to go each and every day. Our bats woke up today as we had a chat last night at the hotel and they came to play today.”
#WarhawkNotables
-For the first time in the series at Appalachian State ULM scored the first run of the game as Nathan Pugh drove in Kodie Tidwell with a two-out single in the first inning.
-ULM tallied eight doubles in the game – Kodie Tidwell (four), Justin Stawychny (two), Robbie Podorsky (one) and Danny Springer (one)… It's the most doubles in a game for ULM since the squad had seven doubles in last season's 14-inning affair at UL-Lafayette (May 17, 2014).
-Nathan Pugh and Danny Springer each tallied multiple RBI efforts on Sunday… It was the third multi-RBI game of the season for both Pugh and Springer.
-Trey Setzer set a career-high with 7.0 innings pitched… In last four starts he has logged 5.0 or more innings pitched, with three of those going 6.0 innings or longer.
-ULM's 10 runs marked the first time since May 11, 2014 that ULM scored 10 or more runs in a Sun Belt Conference game… ULM scored 11 runs in the 2014 home finale against Georgia State (W, 11-1).
#NextGame
ULM will wrap-up its five-game road swing on Tuesday night when it travels to Hammond, La., for a 6 p.m. contest at Southeastern Louisiana.
