NORMAN, Okla. -- Despite two hits by Kennedy Johnson and a pair of RBIs off the bat of Andie Edwards, the ULM softball team suffered a 5-3 loss to Sam Houston State in the opening game of the Courtyard Marriott Tournament on Saturday, March 6. The Warhawks offensive woes continued in the nightcap as No. 1 Oklahoma limited ULM to one hit in a 9-0 victory that came in five innings.
 
Sam Houston State 5, UL-Monroe 3
 
ULM (3-9) scored its first run of the Courtyard Marriott Tournament in the first inning against Sam Houston State (3-7).
 
ULM's Kelsey Giddens reached base on a passed ball and moved to second on a wild pitch with Jayden Mount at the plate. Madelyn Fletcher followed with a single up the middle, which loaded the bases, before Andie Edwards delivered a double into centerfield that scored both Fletcher and Mount as the Warhawks jumped out in front 2-0.
 
The Bearkats got those runs back in the top of the second after Ellie Grill reached on a single into left field. Brooke Malia followed with a home run over the right field wall, quickly knotting the game at two-all.
 
The game remained in a 2-2 deadlock until the fifth inning when Korie Kreps reached base on a walk. Two batters later, with Kreps at second after a sacrifice bunt by Kelsey Giddens, Mount reached on a single that scored Kreps for the third ULM run.
 
Sam Houston State retaliated in the sixth, receiving a one-out double from Grill that was followed by a single to centerfield by Malia that put runners on the corners. Regan Dunn tied the game at 3-3 with a single through the left side of the infield.
 
The game remained tied until the top of the seventh where Emily Telg kept the inning alive with a single through the right side of the infield for Sam Houston State. Hannah Scheaffer drew a walk and Grill delivered a bases-clearing triple that provided the Bearkats with the 5-3 lead.
 
Mika Vento (2-1) earned the complete game victory, scattering six hits and three runs while striking out four batters.
 
No. 1 Oklahoma 9, UL-Monroe 0 (5 Innings)
 
Facing their second ranked team in as many days, the ULM softball team suffered a 9-0 defeat in five innings to No. 1 Oklahoma on Saturday, March 6.
 
The Sooners (15-0) scored seven of their nine runs in the third inning and tacked on two more in the fourth, finishing with eight hits in the win. Lynnsie Elam was the only Oklahoma batter with two hits, finishing 2-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored. However, the Sooners had seven batters with at least one hit, including Jocelyn Alo, who was 1-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored.
 
The lone hit for the Warhawks, who slipped to 3-10 overall on the season, came from Madelyn Fletcher. Fletcher has now recorded a hit in three of her last four games.
 
Oklahoma broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the third when Elam opened the frame with a single and quickly moved to second on a stolen base. After a walk by Mackenzie Donihoo, Jayda Coleman laid down a bunt single to load the bases for the Sooners.
 
Alo flied out to centerfield for the sacrifice fly, scoring Elam for the game's first run. Tiare Jennings followed by reaching base on a fielder's choice, which allowed Donihoo to score the second OU run. Gracie Lyons kept the Sooners' offense rolling with a single up the middle that scored Coleman for the 3-0 advantage.
 
Two batters later, Grace Green dropped a double to left field, plating Lyons and Colman for the 5-0 Oklahoma lead. Elam, who batted for the second time in the inning, moved the lead to seven with a single to right field that scored teammates Nicole Mendes and Taylon Snow.
 
The Oklahoma lead grew to 8-0 in the bottom of the fourth when Alo connected on a one-out home run over the centerfield wall. Pinch hitter Kinzie Hansen followed with a home run of her own, giving the Sooners back-to-back homers, scoring the final run of the game.
 
Shannon Saile (4-0) earned the victory for Oklahoma, tossing 3 1/3 innings, allowing one hit and striking out four ULM hitters along the way.
 
The tournament concludes Sunday when the Warhawks meet Missouri at 10 a.m. and Sam Houston State at 3 p.m. Links to live video and stats are available on the softball schedule page at ULMWarhawks.com.