CONROE, Texas – Sophomore Korie Kreps went a combined 6-for-7 at the plate and senior Jessie Watts belted her second home run of the season as the ULM Warhawks softball team split the first day of games at the Scrap Yard Tournament in Conroe, Texas, on Friday, Feb. 14. ULM (3-3) fell to South Dakota State in the first game, 8-5, before the Warhawks defeated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the second game, 6-4.

"Coach Thornton said it best that we get that confidence and then get complacent," head coach Molly Fichtner said. "We need to figure out how to get that confidence and then keep that confidence for all seven innings."

Game 1: South Dakota State 8, ULM 5

ULM drew first blood in the third inning when Kreps scored on Watts' bases-loaded walk. Senior Ana Hogan followed that up with a two-run single to bring home Jayden Mount and Watts to give ULM a 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Jackrabbits tied the game up at 3. Chiara Bassi scored on a hit to center by Caelyn Christiancy. Lindsey Culver tripled to bring in two more runners. Sophomore Murphy Williams got the start in the circle for the Warhawks but was relieved by Watts during the inning.

SDSU blew the gates open in the bottom of the sixth with five more runs to make it an 8-3 game. In the top of the seventh, Mount scored on a sac fly by Hogan and Watts scored on a single by freshman Kelsey Giddens, but it wasn't enough as ULM fell to the Jackrabbits 8-5.

Watts (0-1) took her first loss of the season while Kendra Conard (1-2) grabbed her first win of the season for SDSU. Kreps went 3-for-3 at the plate with one run and was walked once. Watts went 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs and a RBI. Hogan ended with three RBIs and Giddens picked up a RBI as well. Williams pitched 3.2 innings and struck out one batter while giving up three runs on five hits. Watts pitched 1.2 innings and gave up five runs.

Game 2: ULM 6, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 4

Watts set the tone early for the Warhawks with a two-run homer to take the early lead in the top of the first, 2-0. Kreps, Mount and Hogan all earned hits during the inning as well.

"The goal this year was to win and that's something you have to learn," Fichtner said. "We've gotten a little taste of what it feels like to come out with that win and we want more of it."

Freshman Jacelyn Buck scored from second in the top of the second inning on a line-drive single from Kreps. Kreps was able to come home on a pop-fly single from Mount and increased ULM's lead to 4-0. 

In the bottom of the fourth, the Warhawks increased their lead when Buck was walked and then stole second. Junior Alysia Anderson hit a bomb to left field and an error allowed her to complete the circuit without stopping. ULM led 6-0.

Skye Koehl gained a double off of a hit to center field that brought home Alexandria Torres for TAMU-CC (1-5). Tiare Lee and Koehl both scored on separate fielder's choices that closed the gap for the Islanders. The Warhawks still led 6-3. TAMU-CC attempted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh with a Sydney Hoyt home run, but ULM held fast and came out with a 6-4 win.

"Again, I think we got complacent," Fichtner said. "When you have them down like that, we have to keep it going and finish. We had 12 hits and only six runs. We need to figure out how to get at least two runs out of three hits."

Junior Amber Coons (2-0) picked up the win, tossing a complete game, giving up four runs on six hits with three strikeouts and seven walks. Hoyt (0-2) started for the Islanders and took her second loss of the season.

Kreps went 3-for-4 at the plate with one run and one RBI. Anderson went 2-for-3 with a run and a RBI as well. Watts went 3-for-4 at the plate with a run and two RBIs while Mount picked up another RBI.

"Jessie really set the tone today and Alysia really had a nice hit, but Korie was money all day," Fichtner said. "It was like a beach ball coming at her all day and we need that kind of momentum for the rest of the weekend."

The Warhawks will continue the Scrap Yard Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 15, with a 9 a.m. rematch against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and a 2 p.m. showdown against UAB. Links to live stats can be found on the softball schedule page at ULMWarhawks.com. For season tickets, call 318-342-HAWK or visit ULMWarhawks.com.

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