MONROE, La. – After sweeping their midweek games, the Warhawks (27-15, 9-7 SBC) travel to Atlanta, Ga., for a three-game series with conference opponent Georgia State (30-18, 9-9 SBC) in ULM's final road test.
With a series win, the Warhawks would break the program's most Sun Belt wins in a single season (10) set back in 2011.
Due to rain forecasted for Saturday, the series will now begin with a doubleheader on Friday, April 24 with games slated for 3 p.m. EST and 5 p.m. EST.
The series finale will remain on Sunday, April 26 at 12p.m. EST.
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Series Schedule
Friday, April 24 3 p.m. EST
5 p.m. EST
Sunday, April 26 12 p.m. EST
Scouting the Opponent
Fifth-year head coach Roger Kincaid has led the Panthers to a 30-18 overall record with a 9-8 record in Sun Belt play to put Georgia State sixth in the conference coming into the weekend series.
Georgia State comes into the series off a 6-14 loss to No. 14 Georgia in Athens, Ga.
Georgia is one of four ranked non-conference opponents the Panthers have faced this season as Georgia State has dropped one game to Alabama and two games to both Auburn and Kansas.
The Panthers kicked off conference action with a sweep of Troy back in March. The Trojans returned the favor with a sweep of the Warhawks earlier in the season.
Georgia State took a 2-1 series victory over the Texas State, a team the Warhawks spilt a weather-shortened doubleheader.
The Panthers were swept by then ranked No. 24 South Alabama and No. 10/12 UL Lafayette. The Warhawks split a weather-shortened doubleheader with the Jaguars with ULL still remaining on the schedule.
Georgia State took 2-1 series victories over both Appalachian State and UT Arlington. ULM swept the Mountaineers to kick off conference play, but drop a 1-2 series to the Mavericks.
The Panthers left in Georgia Southern, a team that fell victim to a Warhawk sweep.
Georgia State is led by three-time conference player of the week Ivie Drake who has become one of the most powerful hitters in the Sun Belt. Drake has a .469 average through 48 games this season topping all batters in the conference.
Drake leads the conference in hits and ranks in the top-five in the conference in slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs scored, RBI, doubles and home runs.
The Panthers average .339 at the plate as a team which is second best in the conference.
Though the Panthers shine offensively, Georgia State has seen struggles at the plate. The pitching staff comes into the series with a 5.41 team ERA with opponents averaging .282 against them.
Taylor Thorpe has been the leader of the Panther pitching staff as she holds a 4.61 ERA through 130.2 innings pitched to rank second on the team in that category. Thorpe has struck out only 49 batters this season compared to allowing 62 walks with opponents averaging .292 against her, but Thorpe holds the best record on the squad at 16-4.
Series History
This marks just the second time the two squads have tangled up in conference play with Georgia State leading the series 2-4.
The Panthers took a 2-1 series win over the Warhawks in 2014, but after winning game three to prevent the sweep and upsetting the Panthers in the 2014 conference tournament, ULM has taken the last two meetings.
Leading Off
•Sweeping their midweek series, the Warhawks hit the road for a fi nal time to take on conference foe Georgia State in a three-game series. Georgia State leads the series 2-4 with the Warhawks looking for their first series win over the Panthers.
•Warhawks picked up their 27th win on the season, marking the most wins for the program since the 2011 season when ULM won 27.
•ULM set a new team single-game record for the most HBP since 2004 when the Lady Demons struck four Warhawk batters.
•The Warhawks sit in fifth in the conference standings with a 9-7 record. The Warhawks are now one win away from tying the single-season record for most Sun Belt wins (10). The Warhawks have two conference series remaining: Georgia State and UL Lafayette.
•With six regular season games remaining, the Warhawks have a chance to pick up 30 wins for the first time since the 2001 season.
•Senior Alexis Cacioppo has totaled 122 career RBI to move into fourth place on the career RBI standings. Cacioppo is only 9 RBI shy of moving into third place on the list and 10 for owning second place.
•Team RBI-leader, Faith Bohack has racked up 35 runs batted in in 2015 tying her season-high set during her 2014 sophomore year.
Game Rewind
MONROE, La. – Backed by a strong outing from Sophomore Melanie Coyne, the Warhawks (27-15) capitalized on pitching mistakes made the Lady Demon's (28-15) young staff to take a 3-1 victory and snap Northwestern State's seven-game, win streak.
ULM picked up their 27th victory on the season, the most wins for the program since the 2011 season that also hit the 27 wins mark.
Junior Faith Bohack, redshirt senior Miyuki Navarrete and sophomore McKinely Marks each picked up an RBI in the outing. Sophomore Sidney Coy had the lone, multi-hit outing on the night going 2-for-3 and scoring a run. Five additional Warhawks picked up hits on the evening.
Sophomore Melanie Coyne made the start in the circle for the Warhawks as she dealt a complete game, her 11th complete game of the season. In seven innings, Coyne allowed five hits, one unearned run and issued two walks while striking out three NSU batters.
Coyne moves to 11-9 on the season, the most wins for any Warhawks on the pitching staff.
