MONROE, La. – The ULM softball team returns to action on Wednesday, April 21, when it heads to Hammond, Louisiana for a midweek clash with Southeastern Louisiana at 6 p.m. The Warhawks will be looking to avenge a previous 2-1 setback to the Lions, which came on March 24, as well as halt a three-game losing streak that came over the weekend to Sun Belt Conference rival Troy.
ULM (13-23) is 6-8 on the road this season, winning three straight after claiming a 5-4 victory over Louisiana Tech on April 13 and sweeping a doubleheader with Jackson State on April 15 by scores of 10-0 and 10-5 (8 inn.).
The Warhawks head into the midweek clash led offensively by the trio of
Korie Kreps,
Kennedy Johnson and
Jayden Mount, who are all hitting .330 or better on the season. Kreps, who is hitting a team-high .343, shares the team lead in hits, 37, with Mount, and leads the way in doubles (10) and triples (3) for ULM. Kreps is responsible for the best slugging percentage, .574, on the team, while posting a team-high .455 on-base percentage.
Johnson, the second-leading hitter on the squad with a .341 average, has 31 hits to her credit, including five doubles, one triple and a home run. She has a .451 slugging percentage and a .398 on-base percentage. Mount, hitting .333 on the slate, leads ULM in runs (24) and RBIs (20), while owning the second-best slugging percentage, .523, on the unit.
Freshman
Gianni Hulett (4-5) is one of the top pitchers on staff for ULM, owning a 3.80 ERA and ranking second in strikeouts with 39. She shares the strikeout lead with teammate
Amber Coons and the pair is one shy of
Adrianna Chavarria, who leads the Warhawks with 40 strikeouts.
Southeastern Louisiana enters the game with a 24-16 record, winning 13 of 18 games at home this season. The Lions, who dropped their last two contests to Sam Houston State, have won four of their last five home games. Among those five wins includes a 6-4 victory over Mississippi State on April 5.
Audrey Greely, the top slugger on the Southeastern Louisiana squad, is responsible for a .396 batting average by virtue of hitting 38-of-96 at the plate. She shares the team lead in doubles (6) and home runs (3) with Aeriyl Mass, who leads the way with 50 hits and 26 RBI. Greely is also the Lions' leader in slugging percentage, .573, and on-base percentage, .491.
Heather Zumo anchors the Southeastern Louisiana pitching staff with a 14-3 record, 2.00 ERA and 120 strikeouts. In 28 appearances for the Lions, she has tossed 119 innings, allowed 93 hits, 47 runs, 34 earned runs and limited opposing hitters to a .204 batting average.
ULM will remain on the road for the next four games, heading to South Alabama for a three-game series which begins on April 24 and then a midweek clash at McNeese State on April 28.
