BOONE, N.C. – The ULM Warhawks came back with a fiery vengeance in game two of their Sun Belt season-opening double-header at Appalachian State on Saturday (Mar.10). ULM had dropped the first game of the day 7-3 to the Mountaineers, but bounced back to run-rule Appalachian State, 12-4 in game two.
 
Game one started off slow for the Warhawks, going scoreless in the first two innings, while the Mountaineers put two on the board with a fielder's choice RBI and an RBI single to second base.
 
Senior Rochelle Roberts went to work in the third inning in an attempt to keep her Warhawks in the game; Roberts doubled down the right-field line to score Hunter Hogan and Jayden Mount. Mount had started the inning with a double to right-center to reach, and was joined by Hogan, who walked during her next at-bat.
 
All knotted up at two runs a piece, the Warhawks did their best to defend the plate while putting some more runs on the board but struggled to keep the Mountaineers off the bases.
 
Appalachian State would score five more before the end of the game, four of which came at the hand of Warhawk miscues.
 
Through the seven innings of work, pitchers Sydney Wader, Rachael Murphy, and Paige Murray gave up 13 hits, but only two of the Mountaineers seven runs were earned because of ULM's three errors.
 
"I am disappointed in the way we started and finished game one," said head softball coach Corey Lyon. "Pitching and defense let us down in the first game, we made some errors that cost us base-runners and eventually runs."
 
The Warhawks had no time to hang their heads in defeat, and recovered just in time for an outstanding game two performance.
 
ULM came running out the gate with a ten-run first inning against Appalachian State in game two, and never let the Mountaineers come close to their lead.
 
Mount sparked the hit-parade with a single, followed by Ana Hogan, and Brie Wrobel who each added a single to the stat sheet. Those three hits alone brought in four runs, but the Warhawks just keep rolling through the Mountaineers defense.
 
Megan Shaw was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, which scored A.Hogan. Wrobel would score when freshman Ava Heidorn would send a long ball to center field, earning her first career RBI.
 
Roberts would single up the middle, causing the App. State defense to try and cut the run off at home; the Mountaineers are unable to stop Thibodeaux from scoring, and Shaw is able to advance from third on the throw as well, giving ULM an 8-0 lead with no outs.
 
At this point in the first inning, Appalachian State has made two pitching changes.
McKay would single down the line and score Heidorn, as the Mountaineers would get their first out of the game as they put Roberts out at second base.
 
McKay would score the tenth and final run of the inning when A.Hogan reached on a bases-loaded walk.
 
The second inning would lack action from either team, but Appalachian State felt a brief revival in the third inning, as they scored three on a bases-clearing double by Mountaineer Alisha Josey.
 
Lyon would call on Murray to relieve Watts in the circle, as the Warhawks headed into the fourth inning with a 10-3 lead.
 
The fourth inning would be the last time the Warhawks or Mountaineers would plate any additional runs, as ULM scored off the bats of Roberts and McKay for the last time on Saturday.
 
"I was happy to see the way the team responded in game two," Lyon said. "We were able to piece together a string of great hits in the first inning and matched that with great pitching and a much better defense."
 
ULM and Appalachian State will face each other in game three on Sunday (Mar.11); first pitch is slated for 12 p.m. (CT).