Monroe, La. - The ULM Warhawks open a seven-game home stand starting Friday night with the first of three games against the McNeese State Cowboys. First pitch is at 6 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
Setting the Scene
The two teams met for a pair of mid-week games last season, with McNeese winning at Warhawk Field 7-3 in 11 innings on April 24 and ULM winning in Lake Charles 10-7 on May 15. This weekend's series marks the first three-game weekend series between the two programs since 2006, ULM's final year as a member of the Southland Conference. The two squads have met in mid-week series in each year since ULM joined the Sun Belt Conference. Friday's series opener is the 191st all-time meeting between the Warhawks and the Cowboys, with ULM leading the series 98-91-1.
ULM lost both of its mid-week games at Southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday and Wednesday. SLU took Tuesday's game 10-3, and then limited ULM to one hit in Wednesday's 7-1 SLU victory.
McNeese head coach Justin Hill is in his sixth season with the Cowboys. The West Monroe native and former ULM assistant coach guided the Cowboys to the Southland Conference regular season championship in 2017 and was chosen as the Southland Conference Coach of the Year. Hill has led the Cowboys to four 30-plus win seasons. He served as ULM's 2012 NCAA Regional team under head coach Jeff Schexnaider.
McNeese is 8-5 to open the season. The Cowboys swept the Mardi Gras Classic last weekend in Lake Charles, picking up a pair of wins over both Nicholls State and Holy Cross. The Cowboys lost to the Ragin' Cajuns on Wednesday, 16-10.
Leading Off
Through Wednesday's games, ULM ranks 11th in the Sun Belt Conference as a team in batting average at .231. ULM has 86 hits, 11 doubles, two triples and six home runs with 54 runs scored. The Warhawks have also compiled 93 strikeouts to 58 walks. On the mound, ULM ranks ninth in the SBC in team ERA at 5.67. The Warhawks have given up 78 runs, 63 earned, on 99 hits with 103 strikeouts and 59 walks.
The Warhawks lost their mid-week series opener at Southeastern Louisiana 10-3 on Tuesday. SLU used a four-run fourth inning to break the game open. ULM answered with two runs in the fifth on RBI singles by
Ryan Humeniuk and
Trent Tingelstad. The teams would then trade runs before SLU scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth and three more in the seventh to pull away for the win.
Andrew Beesley had two hits in the loss for ULM.
In Wednesday's series finale, the Lions gave up just one hit, a single by Tingelstad in the ninth inning, to beat ULM 7-1. The Warhawks used a pair of walks and an error to score their only run in the fourth inning, pulling within 2-1 at that point. However, SLU answered in the bottom of the inning and added three more runs in the fifth to break the game open and pick up the win.
Warhawk Notes
Junior left fielder
Ryan Humeniuk slid down to the second spot in the order in Wednesday's game against SLU after hitting in the leadoff spot in each of the first 11 games of the season. Humeniuk was 1-for-4 with an RBI single, a run scored and a walk in Tuesday's loss, and was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts on Wednesday.
Junior right fielder
Trent Tingelstad was the only Warhawk to hit safely in both mid-week games at Southeastern Louisiana. Tinglestad came through with an RBI single in the two-run fourth inning on Tuesday, going 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. On Wednesday, Tingelstad had the only hit of the game for ULM, coming in the ninth inning. Tingelstad also walked twice in the loss. Tingelstad slid down to the cleanup spot in the lineup on Wednesday.
Senior third baseman
Chad Bell struggled at Southeastern, going 0-for-3 with a run scored, a walk and a strikeout on Wednesday after going 0-for-4 on Tuesday. It marks the first time this season Bell has had consecutive hitless games.
Junior first baseman
Cameron Horton had a hit and a run scored in a 1-for-4 effort against SLU on Tuesday before sliding down to the number seven spot in the lineup on Wednesday, where he was 0-for-1 with a walk before being lifted for a pinch hitter.
Senior
Braedon Barrett had a streak of nine straight starts in center field snapped on Wednesday afternoon. Barrett hit seventh in the order on Tuesday, going 1-for-1 with two walks and a run scored. On Wednesday, Barrett entered the game as a pinch hitter and went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts.
Junior
Andrew Beesley tallied two hits in four at-bats in Tuesday's loss at Southeastern Louisiana. Beesley finished 0-for-2 on Wednesday with a walk and a strikeout after dropping back to the sixth slot in the lineup.
Junior catcher
Carson Klepzig had his first day off of the season on Wednesday at SLU. Klepzig appeared in the first 11 games of the season for ULM with 10 starts. Klepzig was 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout on Tuesday.
Junior
Colin Gordon has now made nine consecutive starts at shortstop after not playing on opening weekend. Gordon had a rough mid-week series, going 0-for-8 with four strikeouts. Gordon was elevated to the leadoff spot for Wednesday's series finale.
Junior infielder
Nathan Miranda continues to hold down second base for ULM. Miranda started both games at SLU at second base, posting a pair of 0-for-3 lines with a strikeout in each game.
Junior
Masen Prososki made a pair of pinch hitting appearances at SLU. Prososki was 0-for-1 in his only chance on Tuesday, and was 0-for-2 with a strikeout on Wednesday.
Junior catcher
Logan Wurm made his first career start on Wednesday, hitting in the fifth spot in the order. Wurm was 0-for-2 with a strikeout.
Junior outfielder
Jake Kaufman returned to the lineup for the first time since opening weekend on Wednesday. Kaufman started in center field and hit ninth, going 0-for-1 with a strikeout.
Senior right-handed pitcher
Jacob Barton (1-1) suffered his first loss of the season in the 7-2 setback to Tennessee on March 1. Barton threw 4.2 innings, giving up four earned runs on four hits with three walks and a strikeout while also hitting a batter.
In Saturday's first game, senior left-handed pitcher
Trey Jeans (0-2) rebounded from a bad start a week prior against SIUE. In his start against Western Kentucky, Jeans threw five shutout innings, giving up three hits while walking two and striking out six.
Junior right-handed pitcher
Kayleb Sanderson (2-0) suffered a rough first inning, but responded against North Florida on Saturday, throwing four innings, giving up two runs on four hits with four walks and four strikeouts for his second win.
Despite a tough series at Southeastern, there were some good performances in the bullpen.
Logan McDowell threw 1.2 innings of shutout relief with a hit and two strikeouts on Tuesday.
Cameron Allison and
Ty Barnes combined for 1.2 shutout innings to close out Wednesday's loss.
