MONROE, La. – The ULM softball team goes in search of its first three-game winning streak of the season on Wednesday, March 10, when it hosts a doubleheader against Grambling State at the ULM Softball Complex. The first game between the two teams is set for 4 p.m. and the second will follow at 6 p.m.
The Warhawks (4-11) have played just one home game this season, which came on February 23 against Louisiana Tech, where ULM emerged with an 8-5 victory. ULM also played a pair of games in early February against Louisiana Tech (Feb. 11) and Jacksonville State (Feb. 12) at the Ouachita Sportsplex.
ULM is in search of its first three-game winning streak of the 2021 campaign after capping off the Courtyard by Marriott Tournament, hosted by Oklahoma, with an 8-6 victory over Sam Houston State on Sunday, March 7.
Late game heroics by
Jacelyn Buck and
Jayden Mount helped the Warhawks score two sixth inning runs and claim the fourth win of the season. Buck reached on a base knock to centerfield, which allowed the speedy
Caley McGuff to score the go-ahead run. Mount followed with an RBI, scoring Buck from second, as ULM assumed the 8-6 lead. The Bearkats pitching staff forced a pair of grounders to close the inning, but the Sam Houston State offense was shut down in the top of the seventh, ending any threat of a rally.
The victory over Sam Houston State, coupled with a sweep of Grambling State on Wednesday would give ULM its first three-game winning streak since the Warhawks rattled off four straight victories between February 21-23, 2020. In that four-game stretch, ULM defeated Houston Baptist (10-4), Abilene Christian (8-0), Incarnate Word (8-0) and Nicholls State (6-1) in succession.
The top slugger for the Warhawks heading into the game is
Kennedy Johnson, who is hitting .364 with 12 hits in 33 at bats. She is responsible for four RBIs, two runs and a double in 13 games this season. Teammate
Korie Kreps is second with a .317 batting average, connecting on 13 hits, four doubles, three triples and a home run in 2021. Kreps leads the way in on-base percentage (1.019) and her 13 hits are tied for most on the unit with Mount and
Madelyn Fletcher.
Gianni Hulett anchors the pitching staff with two wins over 36 2/3 innings on the mound. She has recorded 15 strikeouts, including a single-game season-high four in a clash with Louisiana Tech on February 23.
Adrianna Chavarria has taken to the circle on nine occasions this season for the Warhawks, recording a team-best 20 strikeouts along the way.
Grambling State (2-4) has split its last four games, earning a pair of wins, 10-2 and 14-5, against Miles College on February 27-28. The Tigers are 0-2 on the road this season and last claimed a road victory on March 30, 2019 when they defeated Southern, 5-2, in Baton Rouge.
The top slugger in the Grambling State lineup to play in more than one game is Antiya Randle, who leads the way with a .444 average. Randle has four hits in nine at bats, coming through with a double and a home run. Teammates Morgan Adams (.273) and India Wells (.250) are second and third, respectively, on the team in batting average.
A link to live stats for Wednesday's doubleheader is available on the softball schedule page at ULMWarhawks.com.
