Monroe, La. – Little Rock grabbed the early lead in both games in Saturday's doubleheader and never let ULM in front, as the Trojans swept the doubleheader 7-3 and 4-2 to take the weekend series two games to one at Warhawk Field.
The Trojans (19-20 overall, 11-6 Sun Belt) have now won four straight Sun Belt Conference series while the Warhawks (16-23, 6-11) have dropped their last two series after winning back-to-back series.
In the opener, Little Rock jumped on top in the first inning with a two-out, 2-run home run by Riley Pittman to lead 2-0. The Trojans added a run on an RBI single by Ramon Padilla in the third inning. ULM answered in the bottom of the third with a sacrifice fly by Trent Tingelstad to score Carson Klepzig and an RBI double by Chad Bell to plate Joey Jordan to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Little Rock pushed the lead back to two in the fifth inning when Nick Perez hit an RBI double to right field. ULM cut it back to one in the seventh when Bell hit his second RBI double, bringing home Braedon Barrett, to make it 4-3.
Little Rock put the game out of reach late, with Garrett Scott hitting a 2-run home run in the eighth inning, and Pittman adding his second blast of the game, a solo shot in the ninth, for the final margin.
"Game one was definitely frustrating," head coach Michael Federico said. "Had 11 strikeouts and 12 fly ball outs. There was just way too many easy outs. You can't defend a strikeout and catching fly balls is pretty easy. Little Rock has struggled on the ground with their defense. We had no pressure for them. We've been good offensively. We've been having really productive at bats for the most part, but today was not very good."
Ty Barnes (3-2) suffered the loss, pitching the first four innings, giving up three runs on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
In game two, the Warhawks and Trojans were scoreless to the third inning when a hit batsman and an error put a pair of runners on for Little Rock, and Pittman brought them home with his third home run of the day, giving Little Rock a 3-0 lead that would stand up.
In the fifth inning, the Warhawks loaded the bases with nobody out off a pair of infield singles by Klepzig and Barrett and an error which allowed Jordan to reach safely. However, the Warhawks were only able to bring home one run in the inning, on a sacrifice fly by Bell, and trailed 3-1.
Bell hit a solo home run in the eighth inning to cut the gap to 3-2, but Little Rock answered back with a solo homer by Christian Reyes in the top of the ninth. The Warhawks were retired in order in the bottom of the ninth to end the game.
Humeniuk finished with three hits, including two doubles.
Kayleb Sanderson (2-3) took the loss, pitching the first five innings, giving up three runs, two earned, on two hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Justin Barton pitched three innings in relief, working out of a bases loaded, one out jam in the sixth inning and did not let an inherited runner score. Barton gave up the solo home run to Reyes with two walks and four strikeouts.
Federico said the Warhawk pitching staff kept the team within striking distance.
"We were still in it the entire time," Federico said. "We were just a hit away here or just something little that we could have done. I thought our pitching staff did a pretty good job of keeping us close and keeping us in there. We pitched well enough to at least keep us in the game."
Federico expressed his frustration with the doubleheader sweep.
"I feel like our guys were prepared and ready to go for the game," Federico said. "I don't know if it's a bad job by me and our staff. We've got to play better and at least get one of those today in the doubleheader."
The Warhawks go on the road this week, visiting Southern on Tuesday before facing Arkansas State for a weekend series. Links to live video, audio and stats are at ULMWarhawks.com.
