Ruston, La. - ULM wraps up a five-game road trip on Tuesday evening, visiting I-20 rival Louisiana Tech in Ruston. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.
Setting The Scene
The Warhawks were swept over the weekend by Texas State in San Marcos, falling to 7-16 overall and 0-6 in the Sun Belt Conference. ULM has lost seven straight games. The Warhawks last won two weeks ago, winning 10-6 vs. Southern on March 12 at Warhawk Field.
Friday's game marks the 181st all-time meeting between the Warhawks and Bulldogs. Louisiana Tech leads the series 104-76. The Bulldogs have won nine straight games in the series. ULM last picked up a win in the series on May 16, 2007, when they won at Warhawk Field 12-9. ULM last won in Ruston on Feb. 25, 2007, picking up a 10-9 victory. The two teams have met in each season since 2015.
The Bulldogs swept last season's two meetings. Louisiana Tech won 7-0 in Monroe on March 7 before winning 6-1 in Ruston on March 21.
ULM head coach
Michael Federico is in his second season with the Warhawks. He led the team to an 11-win improvement in his first season, as the Warhawks posted a 23-31 record in 2018. He is 30-47 overall as the head coach at ULM.
Louisiana Tech head coach Lane Burroughs is in his third season leading the Bulldogs. Burroughs is 89-49 at Louisiana Tech, leading the Bulldogs to a second-place finish in the regular season in Conference USA in 2018. Burroughs is in his sixth season as a head coach, after previously leading Northwestern State for three seasons.
Louisiana Tech is coming off a road series victory over the weekend, taking two out of three games at Middle Tennessee State to improve to 14-9 overall and 2-4 in Conference USA. The Bulldogs won 5-1 on Friday before the Blue Raiders won on Saturday, 4-1. Louisiana Tech took the rubber match on Sunday, 10-5. The Bulldogs won their mid-week game last week over Mississippi Valley State, 21-1.
Leading Off
Through Sunday's games, ULM ranks 12th in the Sun Belt Conference as a team in batting average at .243. ULM has 177 hits, 27 doubles, three triples and 11 home runs with 111 runs scored. The Warhawks have also compiled 182 strikeouts to 105 walks. On the mound, ULM ranks 12th in the SBC in team ERA at 7.30. The Warhawks have given up 183 runs, 157 earned, on 224 hits with 190 strikeouts and 126 walks.
Trent Tingelstad ranks among the Sun Belt Conference's best hitters. Tingelstad is sixth in batting average at .367, while sitting second in on base percentage at .524. Tingelstad is second in the league in walks with 22.
Ryan Humeniuk and
Andrew Beesley are among the top base stealers in the Sun Belt Conference. Humeniuk is fifth in the SBC with nine steals, while Beesley is sixth with eight stolen bags.
The Warhawks opened the weekend series at Texas State with a 5-1 loss to the Bobcats on Friday in San Marcos.
Joey Jordan tied the game at 1 in the third inning with a solo home run. However, Texas State scored two runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to pull away late.
Trey Jeans took the tough luck loss, pitching into the seventh inning. Jeans gave up two runs on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings.
ULM lost Saturday's second game of the series at Texas State, 6-5. ULM led 1-0 after
Ryan Humeniuk scored on a double play in the third inning. Texas State built a 6-2 lead late in the game. With the bases empty and ULM down to its final out, the Warhawks rallied.
Trent Tingelstad walked, and
Chad Bell and
Andrew Beesley followed with back-to-back singles.
Brendan Jordan hit a 2-RBI single to left center to cut the deficit to 6-4.
Masen Prososki added an RBI single to make it 6-5 before
Braedon Barrett struck out to end the game with the potential tying run on second base.
Texas State completed the weekend sweep of ULM on Sunday with a 13-1 win in seven innings. ULM tied the game at 1 in the fifth inning when
Andrew Beesley scored while
Austin Schmitt was caught in a run down. However, the Bobcats scored five runs in the fifth inning, another in the sixth and six more in the seventh to pick up the run-rule win.
