BOONE, N.C. – After being limited to one hit through eight innings, ULM's ninth-inning rally came up short against Appalachian State Friday, 6-4, at Beaver Field at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium.
App State starting pitcher Tyler Tuthill (3-4) threw 6 2/3 no-hit innings against the Warhawks (18-20 overall, 5-11 Sun Belt Conference), but walked six batters, hit another with a pitch and had a base runner reach on an error, elevating his pitch count and forcing him to leave the game in the seventh inning.
"We had some opportunities to at least get one run here or there," ULM head coach
Michael Federico said. "I feel like we were worried a little bit too much about being no-hit. In the first inning, we hit three balls on the screws and didn't get a hit and then they come out and get the two big hits and put two runs up."
ULM picked up its first hit in the eighth inning, an infield single by
Mason Holt, but failed to capitalize on nine base runners over the course of the first eight innings.
Trailing 6-0, the Warhawks broke through in the ninth inning.
Travis Washburn drew a leadoff walk and
Grant Schulz followed with a single to left center to put runners on first and second base. After
Matthew Lee struck out,
Colby Deaville hit an RBI infield single to second, scoring Washburn to cut the deficit to 6-1.
Ryan Humeniuk stepped to the plate and hit a 3-run home run to left center, bringing ULM within 6-4.
Trace Henry followed with a single and
Mason Holt walked to put the potential tying run on base. However,
Andrew Beesley hit a ground ball in the middle of the infield. App State second baseman Luke Drumheller made a diving stop and flipped the ball to second base to retire Holt. The umpire at second base ruled interference on Holt's part, calling Beesley out at first to end the game.
App State scored two runs on four hits in the first inning off ULM starter
Ty Barnes (2-4). Robbie Young hit an RBI single to center and Dalton Williams' check-swing infield single brought home another run for the 2-0 advantage.
The Mountaineers doubled the lead in the third inning with solo home runs by Kendall McGowan and Williams. App added two more runs in the seventh inning on just one hit, scoring runs on a bases loaded walk and a fielder's choice by Young.
Despite being no-hit for most of the game, the Warhawks had scoring opportunities. Tuthill walked the bases loaded twice, once in the fourth inning and again in the sixth inning but worked out of the jam.
ULM had another chance in the seventh inning. Washburn was hit by a pitch to open the inning and Schulz reached on a fielding error on a sacrifice bunt attempt. The runners moved to second and third on
Logan Wurm's sacrifice bunt before Tuthill retired Deaville and Eli Ellington got Humeniuk to ground out to end the inning.
Barnes took the loss, throwing five innings. He allowed four runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
"I thought Ty really battled through some things," Federico said. "I was proud of Ty for keeping us close. Trey (Lindsay) came in and hung a zero in the sixth but we gave up two runs in the seventh and look what happens, we end up losing by two. That's the name of the game. We talk about the 6-7-8 innings a lot. That's, to me, where the games are won and lost."
Humeniuk, Henry, Holt, Schulz and Deaville came up with the five hits for ULM. McGowan and Williams had two hits and two RBIs each for App.
The series continues at 2 p.m. EDT/1 p.m. CDT Saturday. Links to live video, audio and stats are available on the baseball schedule page at ULMWarhawks.com.
