MONROE, La. – Georgia Southern came up with some timely hits and scored five unanswered runs for a 6-4 win over ULM softball in eight innings at the ULM Softball Complex Friday. It was the Sun Belt Conference opener for the Eagles (6-11) and Warhawks (13-6).
 
"We have got to figure out the balance of putting all the pieces together at the same time," said ULM head coach Molly Fichtner. "We can definitely be crisper in the circle and our pitching did well in the beginning, but we weren't hitting. We flipped a switch and get four runs on the board, but then we gave up runs from the circle. I don't think we played the full game today, and when you do that against a team like that, it's going to catch up to you."
 
Georgia Southern pitcher Kastin Belogroska (2-5) pitched a perfect game through four and two-thirds innings before the Warhawks strung together five-straight hits to get on the board. Alexis Chavez doubled through the left side and scored as the next batter, Gabby Davila, singled and moved to second on the throw. Korie Kreps then singled to left center to bring Davila across the plate for a 2-0 ULM lead.
 
Kennedy Page was patient on her full count at-bat and connected for an infield single which advanced Kreps to second. A throwing error by Georgia Southern allowed Kreps to move to third and Page stole second to put two Warhawks in scoring position. Lead-off batter Lourdes Bacon extended her hitting streak to 11 consecutive games with her two-RBI triple for a 4-0 ULM lead at the end of five.
 
The Eagles responded with a run in the top of the sixth when lead-off batter Madi Banks singled and took second on a wild pitch. Banks moved to third on a ground out and scored when Faith Shirley flied out to right. Belogroska was replaced by Kyleigh Richardson for the sixth inning and Richardson walked three Warhawks, but struck out two and got out of the inning with a fly out to centerfield.
 
Three runs by the Eagles in the top of the seventh tied the game at 4-4. Georgia Southern had back-to-back hits as the lead-off batter doubled and then scored on a wild pitch. With two outs, an Eagle batter reached base on an error which allowed Georgia Southern's third run to score. Shirley single plated the second unearned run of the inning, but the Eagles had evened the score.
 
Belogorska returned to the circle to work the seventh inning and extra frame for Georgia Southern. She finished with five strikeouts and allowed only one walk in her 7.0 total innings for her second win of the season.
 
In the bottom of the seventh with two outs, Andie Edwards had a pinch-hit single in the bottom of the seventh and stole second base. Madison Blount was issued a walk after a two-strike start for her at bat. Despite two Warhawks on base, ULM could not manufacture a run and the teams went to extra innings.
 
Kinsey Kackley returned to the circle for ULM in the eighth inning and Georgia Southern started off the extra frame with three-straight hits. Aniston Johnson led off with a double and Janai Conklin's first hit of the ballgame gave the Eagles a 5-4 lead. A pair of wild pitches put the Warhawks at a disadvantage and got a break by throwing out a runner at home. A walk loaded the bases, and Banks' second hit of the day brought home the sixth run.

Gianni Hulett (1-2) was tagged with the loss. Kackley had six strikeouts in seven innings of work. The Warhawks gave up four earned runs and each team had an error.
 
Game two of the series is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. CT. ESPN+ will broadcast all three games this weekend and live stats are available on the ULM softball schedule page at ULMWarhawks.com.