MONROE, La. – ULM scored seven runs across the first three innings, including a grand slam from Danny DeSimone, and never looked back, as the Warhawk baseball team cruised to a 13-4 win over Southeast Missouri Saturday afternoon at Warhawk Field.

DeSimone added a two-RBI double in the eighth inning and finished the day going 2-for-4 with a double, home run, six RBIs and a run scored.

ULM (2-0) jumped on Southeast Missouri (0-2) early. Redhawk starting pitcher Michael Hojnacki hit Trace Henry with a pitch to open the bottom of the first inning. Mason Holt followed with an RBI double off the base of the left-center field wall, scoring Henry from first for the 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, Ryan Humeniuk laced a two-RBI single to right field, scoring Holt and Andrew Beesley for the 3-0 advantage.

"We just kind of punched them right in the face right there at the beginning," ULM head coach Michael Federico said. "I thought we had some quality at bats. I thought we took some pitches really well."

SEMO answered in the top of the second inning as Justin Dirden hit a solo home run to right-center, cutting the gap to 3-1.

Hojnacki seemed to be settling in after getting roughed up in the first inning. After retiring the Warhawks in order in the second inning, he retired the first two batters in the third inning on just six pitches. ULM then flipped the inning. After Beesley singled, Wiley Cleland and Humeniuk each worked a walk to load the bases. DeSimone stepped to the plate, and crushed the grand slam to left for his first home run as a Warhawk, putting ULM up 7-1.

"I knew he was going to come in," DeSimone said. "He had come in the first few pitches with a fastball, so I was looking in. He threw a fastball in and I was able to put a good swing on it."

"We had two outs in six pitches," Federico said. "It could have been smooth sailing for (Hojnacki) in that third inning, and he might have been able to grind through a few more innings. We were able to take advantage and get to the bullpen. That was huge by our offense. Six pitches and two outs, to then load the bases up and give Danny a chance was awesome."

It was plenty of run support for redshirt freshman starting pitcher Cam Barlow, who made his first collegiate start.

Barlow threw four innings for ULM giving up one run on two hits with two walks and three strikeouts to pick up his first collegiate win. The freshman, who admitted having some nerves while warming up before the game, said a quick 1-2-3 first inning on just eight pitches helped him settle in.

"All of my fears went away after that," Barlow said. "After that first inning, I knew my defense had me. Obviously, my offense, when we went up 3-0 after the first, I was like, 'heck year, let's go.'"

Barlow rebounded to retire the next three hitters after giving up the solo home run in the second inning. He ran into trouble in the fourth inning when SEMO loaded the bases with one out. After a visit from Federico, Barlow responded by striking out the next two batters to end the inning with no runs allowed.

"When I looked him in the eye, he was ready," Federico said. "It wasn't a deer in the headlights moment. That was one thing that had me going. I was juiced and excited for him. I wasn't expecting him to get a strikeout. In my mind, I was thinking just give up one run and get out of it, don't give up the big inning right there. He just accepted the challenge. He and (catcher Carson) Klepzig were on the same page right there and I thought he handled it extremely well. It's nice to see a freshman show that emotion, too. We needed that emotion. It got our dugout going."

"It slowed everything down," Barlow said of Federico's visit. "And then two big punches after that. It was huge."

"He's kind of an old soul," Federico said. "He's mature beyond his years. He's not your typical freshman. He knows what his strengths and weaknesses are. He trusts his defense, and I think our defense knows that he's going to be in the strike zone enough."

Colby Deaville hit his first homer for ULM, a solo shot in the fourth inning. SEMO added single runs in the fifth, sixth and eighth innings, but ULM answered with an RBI single by Holt in the sixth, and a four-run eighth inning, highlighted by an RBI single for Humeniuk and a two-RBI double by DeSimone.

Humeniuk had three hits, including a double, and three RBIs while scoring twice. Holt had two hits, with a double, and two RBIs.

Hojnacki took the loss for SEMO, pitching 3.1 innings while giving up eight runs on five hits with two walks and one strikeout. Dirden had two hits, including the solo homer. Danny Wright also belted a solo homer for SEMO.

The two teams wrap up the series at 1 p.m. Sunday at Warhawk Field. For tickets, visit ULMWarhawks.com. Links to live video, audio and stats are available at ULMWarhawks.com.