MOBILE, Ala. – Three-run and five-run innings downed the ULM softball team 10-2 in its second game of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Wednesday afternoon against Georgia State inside Jaguar Field.
All-SBC First Team selection and junior Amye Barre lifted the first pitch she saw over the bleachers in left field to commence the scoring, putting the Warhawks (24-33) ahead 1-0 in the top of the first.
The Panthers (31-26) found an answer in the bottom half after an error gave Brenna Skalski an at-bat with runners on first and third. Skalski singled up the middle to tie the game at one. GSU nearly scored another on a single from Remington Hasty, but sophomore Hunter Hogan fielded the ball and threw out Mandy Blackwell at the plate.
ULM had opportunities in the second and third innings but left five runners stranded between the two innings. Freshman Sydney McKay broke that trend in the fourth when she hit a single to left that scored junior Vanessa Garcia and tied the game at two apiece. Junior Sidney Coy advanced Garcia to third on a single through the right side.
GSU forced junior ace Melanie Coyne out of the game in the bottom of the fourth, scoring three runs on back-to-back doubles from Taylor Bradley and leadoff hitter Taylor Anderson to take a 5-2 lead. The Panthers added five more runs in the sixth on seven hits including a triple and two doubles to initiate the eight-run rule.
Coyne moved to 18-22 after allowing four earned runs on eight hits. As a team, the Warhawks allowed 14 hits, the highest total in a game this season. ULM also committed three errors and are now 3-17 when committing at least two errors.
The Warhawks will face the loser of the South Alabama/Texas State game tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. CST.
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