ULM Warhawks

MONROE, La. – The ULM softball team begins a five-game homestand with two mid-week games vs. Grambling Tue., March 22, and Southeastern on Wed., March 23, at the ULM Softball Complex. Both games begin at 6 p.m. CT. The Warhawks (16-8, 3-3) return to league play this weekend with three games with App State Friday-Sunday, March 25-27.
 
"These two mid-week games will be really good for us," said ULM softball head coach Molly Fichtner. "We have some pitchers who need to throw a few more innings since we had two games canceled last week. We can also work on our focus at the plate – getting back to basics and hitting. We need to swing at strikes and not chase pitcher's pitches."
 
In the meeting between ULM and Grambling last month on Feb. 22, the Warhawks won 11-4.
 
Grambling (12-11) lost three conference games last weekend, falling to Southern 7-6 in 10 innings Saturday, and then couldn't overcome early scores by Southern in Sunday's games (L, 3-1 and L, 6-1). The Lady Tigers own the top ranking in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in eight categories, including scoring, batting average, on-base percentage and earned run average, and is second on two league charts.
 
India Wells has emerged as a versatile offensive threat for the Lady Tigers. She leads Grambling in batting average (.389) and is second on the team with 10 stolen bases. She is ranked 75^th nationally as one of the most difficult hitters to strike out. Pitcher Dacia Richard (3-5) has the most appearances for Grambling with 10 and had the loss in the previous meeting vs. ULM. Sherrell Edwards (4-1) has the Lady Tigers' best ERA at 3.09.
 
Wednesday evening, the Warhawks face Southeastern Louisiana (18-9) as the Lions come to Monroe with wins in four of their last five games. Southeastern boasts seven of the Southland Conference's top rankings, including batting average, on-base percentage and scoring average. Outfielder Cam Goodman, who leads the team in batting average at .450, good for third in the league, and stolen bases, was named the Southland Conference's Hitter of the Week Monday. Goodman went 7-for-13 (.538) in the five games in which she appeared.
 
The Lions' hits leader, Aeriyl Mass, has 32 on the year, third in the Southland, and is tied for second behind Goodman with a .372 batting average. Mass and Goodman are first and second, respectively, in the Southland Conference in stolen bases with Mass ranked 10^th nationally and Goodman 19^th. Pitcher Heather Zumo has 10 wins this season and has made 17 appearances with a 2.28 ERA, second only to MC Comeaux with 18 appearances. Pitcher KK Ladner is the league's best as far as hits allowed per seven innings (5.25).
 
ULM is ranked in the top three of 10 different Sun Belt statistical categories and stands in 51^st with 5.62 runs scored per game. Kennedy Johnson and Madelyn Fletcher each picked up two hits this weekend for totals of 21 and 17, respectively, this season. Both are behind Lourdes Bacon who leads the team in hits (27), batting average (.373) and stolen bases (7).
 
In the series-opening win last Friday, Victoria Abrams recorded her fifth victory of the season and limited the Trojans to only three hits in that game.
 
Live stats are available for this week's games on the softball schedule page at ULMWarhawks.com.