Monroe, La. - Five Louisiana Tech pitchers limited ULM to just six hits as the Bulldogs picked up a 5-0 win over the Warhawks on Tuesday night at Warhawk Field.
For the second time in three games, the Warhawks (15-21) were unable to generate enough offense to back a quality start, this time coming from Cole Martin. The junior set a new season-high with 6 1/3 innings pitched, giving up two runs on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
"He was exceptional," head coach Michael Federico said. "I think he was moving the fastball in and out a little bit. Changeup was really working. He finally got some changeups to where he was getting some guys to put balls in play. Early in the year he was getting swings and misses on it early in the count, and that's why his pitch count was getting up. He was getting some early contact ground balls with that changeup and kind of kept them at bay for a while."
Martin exited the game in the seventh inning with Tech (25-11) leading 1-0. Landon Longsworth allowed an inherited runner to score on a sacrifice fly, as Tech led 2-0 through seven innings.
In the eighth inning, Tech landed five hits off of Longsworth, including an RBI single by Mason Robinson and a 2-run home run by Steele Netterville to increase the lead to 5-0.
"We've had some pretty good starting pitching the last couple of weeks," Federico said. "Our deficiency is in the back side of the game. It's getting frustrating. I don't know sometimes who to turn to. We're trying to give some other people some chances. We've got to do a better job in the back end of the bullpen. It's hindering us so bad. We can't get out of it from the offensive standpoint. That's been the frustrating part."
Offensively, ULM had chances early in the game, loading the bases in the first inning and putting runners at first and third bases with one out in the third inning. However, a strikeout ended the first inning threat and a double play erased the third inning. Tech took the lead with a two-out RBI single by Hunter Wells in the third inning.
"They get on the board on a two-out hit early in the game," Federico said. "We had an opportunity to get a couple two-out hits, and we don't. That's what it comes down to. I told the team before the game that this game is going to come down to a two-out hit and who's going to win the back end of the bullpen. We didn't get that done."
The Warhawks found themselves in another tight game going to the final few innings, but struggled to attempt to tie the game up or prevent Tech from adding to the lead.
"I'm struggling to get them to understand that we can win close games," Federico said. "We don't know how to do it. It's like, we're down by one or two, but it's almost like we're down by 100 sometimes. I've got to do a better job from the coaching side of it. We've got to win a game that way so that they can look back and go 'ok, we know how to do this, too.'"
Beesley led the offense with a pair of hits on the night, going 2-for-4. Cole Gray pitched a scoreless 1 1/3 innings with just one hit and one strikeout. Kyle Griffen picked up the win for Tech in relief, throwing 4 innings with no runs on two hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
ULM hosts Little Rock for a Sun Belt Conference series this weekend. First pitch is at 6 p.m. Thursday, 6 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday. For tickets, call (318) 342-HAWK or visit ULMWarhawks.com. Links to live video, audio and stats are available at ULMWarhawks.com.
