MONROE, La. – The ULM softball team took both games of its doubleheader Tuesday vs. Grambling with a 9-1 (5 inn.) run-rule victory in game one and 4-3 walk-off win in the second contest. ULM softball pitchers Kinsey Kackley (9-7) pitched a one-hit complete game as she struck out 11 in game one and Adrianna Chavarria struck out eight in relief in game two. Alexis Chavez's two-out single plated the winning run after Kennedy Johnson's double in the sixth tied the game at 3-all.
 
"In game one, we had our foot on the gas pedal and we scored in every inning but the first one," said ULM head coach Molly Fichtner. "I thought Kinsey (Kackley) did a heck of a job in the circle and she and Madison Blount worked really well together. Our offense produced, and we used our speed a lot, so overall, it was an all-around good performance by our team."
 
In game one, the Warhawks took a 3-0 lead in the second inning and then opened the lead to 7-0 in the third. Wild pitches in the second allowed two of ULM's runs to cross the plate. Kennedy Page had a sacrifice ground out to advance Korie Kreps and Jacelyn Buck after the two were issued back-to-back walks to start the second. A key single by Kackley scored Taylor Broddick, who was pinch-running for Buck, and moved Kreps to third. Kreps scored on a wild pitch and Kackley moved two bases on the play. Four pitches later, Kackley scored on a wild pitch to help her team to the early advantage.
 
A lead-off walk started the scoring in the third inning as Chavez took first and advanced to second on Lourdes Bacon's single. Johnson's sacrifice fly gave Chavez time to score and move Bacon to third for a 4-0 lead and one out. Buck reached first base after a fielding error by the Tigers which allowed Bacon to score and Buck came home on Kreps' double. Page added an RBI to her total by plating Kreps on her fly ball.
 
The Warhawks added a run in both the fourth and fifth innings for the 9-1 final. Bacon had a bunt single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Johnson belted a triple for to drive in Bacon for her second RBI of game one. Kreps singled through the left side to start the fifth and moved to second on a Grambling fielding error. She advanced to third on Page's ground out and scored on a wild pitch to complete the Warhawks' scoring.
 
Grambling's run came in the fourth inning when Kaytlyn Moore reached first on a Warhawk error and then stole second. She moved to third on Antiya Randle's single and stole home as the Warhawks got the out at second on Randle's stolen base attempt.
 
Kackley excelled both in the circle and at the plate where she went 2-for-2 with a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base. Kreps also went 2-for-2 in game one and scored two of her three runs off wild pitches. Bacon finished the game 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
 
"I told our team going into the second game that one of the hardest things to do is to run-rule an opponent and then come back and beat them again," Fichtner said. "There's something about it that makes it challenging; it's a hard thing to do. We knew the second game was going to be tighter, and it was, and we gave up one big inning with two outs and we have to put a stop to that."
 
In game two, Johnson doubled to right-center to plate two runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at 3-all. Bacon and Chavez were on second and first, respectively, after Bacon singled to left center and Chavez reached base on an error.
 
Chavez would drive in the winning run for the 4-3 victory with a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh. A single and a walk to start the inning put Warhawks on first and second with Broddick and Madelyn Fletcher moving into scoring position on a Kelsey Giddens sacrifice bunt. A fielder's choice play put Bacon on first and moved Broddick to third, but Fletcher was out at the plate for the Warhawks' second out. Chavez's hit through the left side brought Broddick across the plate for the walk-off victory.
 
Grambling took an early lead after a lead-off walk, single and hit batter in the top of the third loaded the bases for Grambling and all three crossed home on Tytianna Robinson's triple. With the Warhawks down 3-0 midway through the third, Broddick led off with a single and took second. She stole third and scored before a double play ended the inning to cut the ULM deficit to 3-1.
 
Adrianna Chavarria (5-6) picked up with win with her performance in a relief role. Chavarria struck out eight of the 13 batters she faced and she allowed just one hit in four innings of work. Starter Kassidy Giddens pitched three innings, allowed three earned runs and struck out four.
 
Johnson and Chavez each had two RBI and Bacon went 3-for-4 in game two. Broddick scored two runs, the Warhawks' first run and the winning score in the seventh.
 
ULM  plays Wednesday, April 27, in the second game of a home-and-home series vs. McNeese on ESPN+. The link for live stats and the broadcast will be available on the softball schedule page at ULMWarhawks.com.