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Play Ball! ULM Makes Home Debut This Weekend

Play Ball! ULM Makes Home Debut This Weekend

Baseball Feb 22
By Paul Letlow, ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist

MONROE, La. – Ready for some baseball at Warhawk Field?

The new-look ULM baseball team makes its 2019 home debut on Saturday, Feb. 22 against SIU-Edwardsville (0-3) with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. 

Wet weather in northeastern Louisiana altered this weekend's plans, reducing the series to three games with single games now scheduled for Sunday (1 p.m.) and Monday (noon) against the visiting Cougars.  

"I think we've got a unique club," ULM coach Michael Federico said. "I think people are going to enjoy watching us play and they're going to like they effort they put forth. We can do a couple of things. We've got some guys who can hit the ball off the wall and they'll want to see that, and we've got some pitchers who can strike some people out as well. That's always fun to watch also."

With 27 new players on the roster, ULM (1-3) opened the season in Baton Rouge during Military Appreciation Weekend at Alex Box Stadium. ULM dropped games to LSU (12-7) and Air Force (1-0) before a convincing 10-3 win over Army on Sunday. 

"Overall, I was pleased," Federico said. "Not with the wins and losses but with the way our guys competed."      

Third baseman Chad Bell, who went 4-for-5 in the win over Army, leads the Warhawks in hitting with a .462 average and four RBI. Bell also homered against LSU's Zack Hess in the season-opener. Trent Tingelstad is hitting .400 with a home run and four runs scored while Cameron Horton is batting .364.

"It's always good to be back home," Bell said. "We're definitely excited to get back there and show Monroe what we're really going to be about this year."

Jacob Barton (5.40 ERA), Trey Jeans (1.80 ERA) and Kayleb Sanderson (7.36 ERA) were the starting pitchers in ULM first three games and are expected to man this weekend's rotation. Seven ULM pitchers have appeared without allowing an earned run.

"From the pitching side of it, we walked a few too many people," Federico said. "But at the same time, we put some guys in some different situations."

ULM is hitting .257 as a team through three games. 

"We've still got to get a couple of guys healthy in Joey Jordan and Colin Gordon," Federico said. "I think our offense could get a little more productive with those guys in there and give us more options of what we can do in certain situations. Gordon's a switch-hitter and a really good baseball player as well. We've got to cut down a little on strikeouts. The emotions of things got us with that. "

SIUE lost three games at UAB to open the season. The Cougars were 15-37 in 2018 with a 6-24 record in the Ohio Valley Conference.  
 
 
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