Masen Prososki vs. Army 2019
Jonathan Mailhes
10
Winner ULM ULMBSB 1-2
3
Army ARMY 1-2
Winner
ULM ULMBSB
1-2
10
Final
3
Army ARMY
1-2
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
ULM ULMBSB 0 0 0 5 0 2 0 3 10 10 0
Army ARMY 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 8 3

W: Dunn, Miles (1-0) L: Smith, Logan (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Bell, Bullpen Come Up Big as ULM Blasts Army, 10-3

By Paul Letlow, ULMWarhawks.com

BATON ROUGE, La. – The clock was ticking on ULM baseball Sunday and so were the bats in a big inning that propelled the Warhawks to a 10-3, eight-inning win over Army at Alex Box Stadium. 

The Warhawks (1-2) sent 11 men to the plate and loaded the bases three times in a five-run fourth inning that featured two pitching changes and lasted more than 30 minutes. It was just what ULM needed a day after a 1-0 loss to Air Force Saturday. 

Beyond the bats, ULM's bullpen posted 4 1/3 scoreless innings and escaped a few jams to help preserve the Warhawks' first 2019 win. 

"The guys coming out of the bullpen did a great job hanging some zeroes at some key moments," ULM coach Michael Federico said. "We expanded the lead in a few innings as well."

With LSU scheduled to play at 3 p.m. to wrap up Military Appreciation Weekend at Skip Bertman Field, the game was on a time limit and no inning could start after 2 p.m. 

Third baseman Chad Bell finished 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a double to lead ULM's 10-hit attack. 

"It feels good to get that first win," Bell said. "We were right there with LSU on Friday and made a few mistakes to give that one away. Last night was not how we wanted to play. It was definitely good to come out here and get a win against a good Army team." 

Army took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when Andre Walden yanked an opposite field home run off ULM starter Kayleb Sanderson into the stands in right. Trey Martin made it a bigger inning with a two-run homer to left field that increased Army's lead to 3-0. 

On the heels of a shutout loss to Air Force, ULM bats finally came alive again in the big fourth inning. 

ULM loaded the bases as Cameron Horton led off the frame by reaching on an error, Braedon Barrett singled and Andrew Beesley beat out a bunt single while trying advance the runners. Carson Klepzig's sacrifice fly to center brought Horton home to make it 3-1 with Barrett scrambling down to third. Beesley stole second and both runners came home to tie the game at 3-3 when Masen Prososki lashed a two-run double over a leaping left fielder, which also chased Army starter Logan Smith (0-1) out of the game. 

"That's what you have to do is get the leadoff hitters on," Federico said. 

Nathan Miranda drew a four-pitch walk off Army's reliever Anthony Loricco and both runners moved up to second and third on an errant pickoff throw. Loricco walked Ryan Humeniuk to load the bases again with one out. Trent Tingelstad struck out before Bell delivered a two-run single for a 5-3 ULM lead. Batting for the second time in the inning, Horton walked to load the bases for the third time and forced Army to bring in their third pitcher of the inning. Barrett struck out with the bases loaded to end the uprising. 

"We were trying to go out there and put some good at-bats together," Bell said. "Luckily we had that big inning to get the momentum and never let it stop."

Army loaded the bases against Sanderson in the bottom of the fourth with two outs, prompting a call to reliever Miles Dunn. One of ULM's go-to men in the pen, Dunn struck out Drake Titus to escape the situation.     

In the fifth inning, Army applied pressure again with runners at second and third against Dunn with two outs. Then with a 1-2 count against John McKenna, Federico summoned Ty Barnes who walked the bases loaded again. Barnes coaxed a pop out to Horton at first and the Warhawks emerged unscathed.

Bell appeared to launch a two-run home run in the top of the sixth but the umpire ruled it a double instead as the ball caromed back onto the field. With runners at second and third and one out, Horton lashed a two-run single to drive both runners in for a 7-3 ULM lead.  

"It was a big swing and Horton got the hit after," Federico said. "We still got the two runs, which was good."

ULM pitchers Barnes and Cole Martin issued back-to-back walks to lead off the bottom of the sixth. But Martin put out the fire with a strikeout, infield fly and groundout to short.   

Tingelstad and Bell singled in the eighth and ULM added two insurance runs on Army's third error of the game and two wild pitches.  

Cole Gray struck out the side to finish the game for ULM. 

"It was a good first weekend," said Martin, who pitched two scoreless frames as the second of four ULM relievers. "We competed against LSU and feel like that's a game we should have had. We competed against Air Force but couldn't get a run on the board. Even with all our new guys, I think we're coming together great as a team."

Up next: No midweek games for the Warhawks, who make their home debut on Friday, Feb. 22 at 6 p.m. against SIU Edwardsville (0-3). ULM baseball's first home series features four games, including a doubleheader starting at noon on Saturday, Feb. 23 (noon) and concluding on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. against the visiting Cougars. 

Scattered hits: Tingelstad went airborne and made a great diving catch in right field to rob Anthony Giachin of extra bases in the fifth inning. …Tweaks in the starting lineup for ULM included Barrett moving from second base to center field. Prososki made his first start at second base.  … John Bel Edwards, a 1988 West Point graduate, hosted the Army baseball team at the Louisiana Governor's Mansion on Saturday night.  
 
 
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