MONROE, La. – ULM made things interesting in the ninth as they plated a pair of runs to trim the deficit to one, but the home club could not tie the game as it fell, 5-4, to Louisiana Tech Wednesday night at Warhawk Field.
Trailing 5-2, the Warhawks were able to load the bases thanks to an infield single, a fielder's choice and a hit by pitch with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. ULM head coach Bruce Peddie made a switch as he called on pinch hitter Brian Barefoot. Barefoot delivered a two-out, two-RBI single through the right side to bring ULM within one at 5-4. The Warhawks were unable to push the tying run across as a groundout ended the final non-conference game of the season at Warhawk Field.
ULM starter Brayden Bouchey (4-2) was tagged with the loss despite allowing just one earned run on seven hits with no walks and four strikeouts. Keegan Curtis and Logan Dopson also logged work against the Bulldogs.
Nathan Pugh paced the Warhawks with two hits (one homer), two RBI and one run, while Justin Stawychny added two hits and two runs.
Louisiana Tech starter Austin Greer earned the win, his first of the season, while Adam Atkins picked up his fifth save of 2015.
After the two teams traded a single hit in each of the first two innings, Louisiana Tech made an early threat as they put runners on the corners with one out in the top of the third. A 2-6-2 out at home on a double steal and a strikeout swinging ended the Bulldog threat.
The two teams traded zeros for the fourth straight inning before Louisiana Tech scored the game's first run in the top of the fifth. With two outs, Bryce Stark drove home Graham Ackal to put the visitor's ahead, 1-0.
The Bulldogs plated an unearned run in the top half of the sixth inning to push their lead to 2-0 and then in the seventh they got a three-run homer from Taylor Love to increase the lead to 5-0.
The Warhawks responded in the home half of the seventh to trim the deficit to just three runs. Justin Stawychny tallied a bunt single and Nathan Pugh followed with an inside the park home run to pull ULM within three runs at 5-2. Pugh's two-run homer was his fourth of the season and second in as many nights.
ULM will hit the road for a three-game Sun Belt Conference series this weekend as it squares off against league-newcomer Georgia Southern. For updates throughout the season on the baseball squad, be sure to follow the team on Twitter @ULM_BSB, Facebook (www.facebook.com/ULMBaseball) and Instagram (@ULM_BSB).
