ULM Warhawks

MONROE, La. - The ULM baseball team plays the front end of a double midweek at 6 p.m. Tuesday when it meets Northwestern State at Brown-Stroud Field in Natchitoches, La.

Tuesday's game is available to stream on NSUDemons.com/watch. The game will air on 105.7 FM/540 AM KMLB, KMLB.com and the TuneIn app with Mike Hammett on the call. A link to live stats is available on the baseball schedule page at ULMWarhawks.com.

Tuesday's game is the 227th all-time meeting between the Warhawks and Demons, with the series tied at 113. ULM has won the last two meetings, winning 6-2 on March 9 at Warhawk Field and 5-2 in the only meeting last year on Feb. 24, 2021, also at Warhawk Field. Weather and the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancelation of all scheduled meetings in 2020. Tuesday's game is ULM's first visit to Brown-Stroud Field since Feb. 26, 2019, when Northwestern State rolled to a 15-0 win. The Warhawks have lost seven consecutive games against NSU in Natchitoches, last defeating the Demons on their home field on March 26, 2013, 5-4. 

ULM (15-30-1 overall, 6-17-1 Sun Belt Conference) has lost seven consecutive games after falling in all three games over the weekend against No. 15 Texas State, dropping Friday's game 5-4, Saturday's game 9-1, and Sunday's contest, 5-4. The Bobcats scored three runs in the top of the ninth to rally for the 5-4 win on Friday, while using a three-run third inning and a six-run eighth inning to earn Saturday's victory. On Sunday, Texas State led 5-2 entering the bottom of the ninth inning before ULM scored twice but stranded the potential tying and winning runs on base. The Warhawks enter this weekend's series at South Alabama in the 10th and final spot for the Sun Belt Conference Championship, one-half game ahead of UT Arlington and one full game ahead of Arkansas State. The top 10 teams in the SBC standings advance to the SBC Championship at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, Alabama. The Warhawks are hitting .261 as a team with 210 RBIs, while the pitching staff has posted an ERA of 6.09.

ULM head coach Michael Federico is in his fifth season with the Warhawks. After leading the club to an 11-win improvement in his first year and a two-win improvement in his second year, he led the Warhawks to their first .500-or-better season since 2012 with a 26-26 mark in 2021 as ULM finished third in the Sun Belt Conference West Division. Federico is 4-2 against Northwestern State, with all four wins at Warhawk Field.

Northwestern State (23-24, 11-10 Southland Conference) enters the final week of the regular season in a logjam atop the Southland Conference as one of six schools within a game of first place in the standings. The Demons took two out of three games on the weekend at McNeese. NSU won Friday's game, 16-12, with Jeffrey Elkins hitting both an inside-the-park three-run home run and a traditional three-run home run. Larson Fontenot hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning on Saturday to push the Demons to a 5-4 win. NSU scored four runs in the first inning but couldn't expand the lead, as McNeese scored the final 10 runs of the game to win, 10-4. The Demons are hitting .245 as a team with 251 RBIs while posting a team ERA of 4.75.

Northwestern State head coach Bobby Barbier is in his sixth season with the Demons. The NSU alumnus led the Demons to a South¬land Conference tournament championship and NCAA Regional appearance in 2018. Barbier is 4-4 against ULM, and 3-0 against the Warhawks at home.

WARHAWKS SWEPT IN WEEKEND SERIES BY NO. 15 TEXAS STATE
The ULM losing skid hit seven games after getting swept at home by No. 15 Texas State over the weekend at Warhawk Field. It marks the fifth time this season ULM has been swept in a weekend series, with four sweeps coming at Warhawk Field.

Texas State rallied from a 4-2 deficit to win Friday's series opener, 5-4. The Bobcats scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning, using two walks, an error, a sacrifice bunt, sacrifice fly and two hits to take the lead.

The Bobcats took Saturday's game, 9-1, thanks to a three-RBI double by Daylan Pena with two outs in the third inning and a six-run eighth inning. Texas State's big eighth inning spoiled the best start of Cole Cressend's career, as he allowed three runs on five hits with two walks with a career-high eight strikeouts over a career-best seven innings. The Warhawks mustered just three hits on the day.

Texas State held off ULM's rally on Sunday, 5-4, to earn the sweep. The Bobcats took a 4-1 lead in the top of the seventh inning after picking up three consecutive walks with two outs followed by a two-RBI double. The Warhawks picked up a solo home run from Mason Holt in the bottom of the seventh before Texas State added a run in the eighth. Michelle Artzberger hit a two-out, two-RBI single in the bottom of the ninth, but ULM stranded the potential tying and winning runs on base to end the game.

ULM last won on April 26 at McNeese, 8-7.

WARHAWKS DOWN DEMONS IN FIRST MEETING OF 2022 ON MARCH 9
Sophomore Landon Cato belted a 3-run home run, his second homer of the season, and the ULM pitching staff kept Northwestern State's offense quiet for much of the night, as the Warhawks ended a nine-game losing streak with a 6-2 win over the Demons March 9 at Warhawk Field. It was NSU's eighth-consecutive loss.
 
The Warhawks (2-9) limited NSU (3-9) to just one hit through the first seven innings and shutout the Demons through eight innings before allowing two runs in the top of the ninth. Meanwhile the Warhawk offense tallied double-digit hits for the third consecutive game and pushed across six runs, with the biggest blow coming from Cato in the fifth inning.
 
With ULM ahead 1-0 on an RBI groundout by sophomore Carson Jones in the second inning, the Warhawks expanded the lead in the fifth. Senior Ryan Cupit was hit by a pitch and senior Grant Schulz walked before Cato sent a 3-run shot down the left field line, clearing the wall just inside the foul pole to extend the lead to 4-0.
 
ULM added two more runs in the seventh inning as senior Colby Deaville's RBI double plated Cato. Deaville later scored on a wild pitch for the 6-0 advantage.
 
After threatening with the bases loaded in the third inning, two runners on base in the sixth inning and the bases loaded again in the eighth inning, NSU broke through with two runs in the ninth before a double play ended the game.
 
Cato led ULM with three hits and three RBIs. Deaville, Schulz and sophomore Caleb Sterling had two hits each. Gray Rowlett had two of NSU's five hits.
 
Redshirt freshman Henry Shuffler took a no-decision in the start, but threw three shutout innings, allowing just one hit with four strikeouts and three walks. Sophomore Cole Cressend (1-1) earned the win in relief, firing three shutout and hitless innings with two strikeouts and one walk. Junior Reid Goleman and senior Lucas Wepf each fired a shutout inning out of the bullpen. Donovan Ohnoutka (1-2) suffered the loss for NSU, allowing four runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and two walks in 4 2/3 innings.
 
The win evened the all-time series in ULM's most played rivalry at 113 wins each.

HENRY PICKING UP THE PACE
Senior outfielder Trace Henry has broken out at the plate over the last two weeks for ULM. Over the last 10 games for the Warhawks, Henry has played in nine games with nine starts, hitting a team-best .368 (14-for-38) with one double, two triples, three RBIs, eight runs scored, six walks and three stolen bases.

His batting average dipped to .231 on April 15 and has since rebounded to .272. He has four multi-hit games over the last 10 contests, including three hits with a triple, walk, three runs scored and a stolen base on May 3 at Louisiana Tech.

He had a seven-game hitting streak snapped on Saturday vs. Texas State, but has reached base safely in a team-best 12 consecutive games dating back to April 16 at UL Lafayette.

MEECH FINDING HIS STROKE AT THE PLATE
Sophomore first baseman Michelle Artzberger is hitting .364 (12-for-33) with five RBIs, four runs scored and five walks over the last 10 games.

He has five multi-hit games over the last eight contests, including going 2-for-5 with two RBIs on Sunday vs. Texas State. He also had two hits with two RBIs on April 30 at Little Rock. He has nine multi-hit games on the season.

His batting average has jumped in the last 16 games from .200 to .252.

HOLT LEADS THE WAY
Senior leadoff hitter Mason Holt leads ULM with a .314 batting average, .596 slugging percentage, 59 hits, 38 runs scored, 11 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs and 112 total bases. He is second on the team with 31 RBIs, 10 stolen bases and 25 walks. He joins fellow senior Grant Schulz as the only two players to start all 46 games in 2022. He is third in the SBC in total bases, fifth in home runs, sixth in triples and ninth in hits.

The Coppell, Texas, native is slashing .314/.408/.596 at the plate, which all rank in the top two on the team. He has hit safely in 11 of the last 13 games and has reached base safely in the last 24 of the last 25 games after having a career-high reached base streak of 23 games snapped on May 7 vs. Texas State.

Inside SBC play, Holt is slashing .327/.426/.653 with seven doubles, two triples, seven homers, 16 RBIs, 20 runs scored and 15 walks. He is the only Warhawk hitting over .300 in SBC play.

He had a four-RBI game against Stephen F. Austin on March 23, going 2-for-4 with a double and grand slam, all in the first inning. He had a career-high four hits March 27 vs. Georgia State, going 4-for-5 with a double, home run, RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base. He belted a pair of home runs on March 29 at No. 11 LSU, driving in three of ULM's four runs. He has hit leadoff home runs in the first inning in consecutive games against Georgia State and LSU. He had three hits with a double and a home run at UT Arlington on April 2. He had two hits, including a 3-run home run, vs. Troy on April 9. He hit the go-ahead 2-run homer April 12 at Jackson State. He clubbed his 10th homer of the season with two hits and two runs scored vs. App State on April 24. He had a 2-RBI triple and a 2-run home run with a walk and two runs scored at Little Rock on April 30. He picked up two hits with an RBI, run scored and a stolen base at Louisiana Tech on May 3. He hit his 12th home run of the season on May 8 vs. Texas State.

DEAVILLE PROVIDES OFFENSIVE BOOST
Senior Colby Deaville entered the starting lineup on Saturday, March 5, against New Orleans and provided an immediate boost to the ULM offense. Deaville, who started 31 games at shortstop in 2021, is slashing .310/.396/.425, all ranking inside the top three on the team.

He has 12 multi-hit games after posting just five such games in the previous two seasons combined. He had career highs with four hits and three RBIs to go with two doubles, two runs scored, a walk and a steal on March 5 vs. UNO. He added two hits in the series finale vs. the Privateers on March 6. On March 9 vs. Northwestern State, he tacked on two hits with a double, RBI and run scored. On March 12 at Nicholls, he had two hits, including a home run, with an RBI, a run scored and two stolen bases. He had three hits, including a solo home run, with a walk and a stolen base at Coastal Carolina on March 19. He had two hits with an RBI single on March 25 vs. Georgia State before adding a solo home run on March 27. He tallied two hits with a double, was hit by a pitch and scored three runs at SFA on April 4. He was the only Warhawk to hit safely in all three games in the weekend series vs. Troy, collecting two hits in each of the last two games, going 5-for-16 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored vs. the Trojans from April 8-10. He tallied two hits in each of the final two games of the series vs. App State on April 23-24, including an RBI with a run scored in the series finale. He had three hits for the third time this season and scored three runs with a walk and two stolen bases at Little Rock on April 30. He walked three times at Little Rock on May 1. 

RYAN CUPIT DOING RYAN CUPIT THINGS
After spending two seasons as one of the first players off the bench for ULM, senior Ryan Cupit has taken over as the starting left fielder for the Warhawks.

The West Monroe, Louisiana, native ranks 32nd nationally while leading ULM and the Sun Belt Conference with a .492 on-base percentage. He also ranks fifth nationally and leads ULM and the SBC in base on balls (47), while ranking fourth nationally and leading the SBC in base on balls per game (1.04). His 47 walks are 12 better than the next closest player in the SBC (Justin Thompson, Texas State, 35). His 47 walks are the third most in a single season in ULM history. Terry Mathews drew 57 walks in 1987 while Todd Self picked up 48 walks in 2000. Cupit has nine walks over the last six contests.

He had a streak of nine consecutive games with at least one walk drawn snapped on April 4 at SFA, when he went 3-for-6 with a double, RBI and a run scored. He had a season-high four walks vs. New Orleans on March 5. In addition, he is hitting .310 at the plate (44-for-142) with seven doubles, three triples, 13 RBIs, 33 runs scored, three stolen bases and has been hit by a pitch four times. He has struck out 40 times.

In the series against No. 15 Texas State, he went 2-for-3 with two walks, an RBI and a run scored on May 6 before going 1-for-4 with a walk on May 8. At Louisiana Tech, he hit an RBI double in the first inning and added an RBI ground in the fourth inning for his first multi-RBI game of the season and second 2-RBI game of his career (at App State, 2021). In the series at Little Rock, he walked five times, including going 1-for-2 with three walks and two runs scored on May 1. He had his second 11-game reached base streak of the season snapped in the series opener on April 29. On April 20 against McNeese, Cupit had three hits, including a double, with a walk as he reached safely in each of his first four trips to the plate. He had three hits with two RBIs and a walk in the weekend series vs. App State. In the series at UL Lafayette, he had two hits with a walk on April 16; two hits, including a key RBI, with two walks on April 15; and was 1-for-4 on April 14. He had a 3-for-5 day at the plate on March 20 at Coastal Carolina with a walk, was hit by a pitch and scored a career high five runs. 

Cupit has appeared in 45 of 46 games with 41 starts and has reached base safely in 40 games. 

SCHULZ NAMED PRESEASON ALL-SUN BELT CONFERENCE BY PERFECT GAME
ULM senior third baseman Grant Schulz was selected to Perfect Game's Sun Belt Conference Preseason Team at designated hitter.

Schulz led the Warhawks with a .333 batting average in 2021, which ranked fifth in the Sun Belt Conference. He had 10 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 30 RBIs, 22 runs scored and 12 walks while playing in 42 games with 35 starts on the season. Schulz was a big part of ULM's late-season surge. Schulz hit a team-best .440 (33-for-75) from April 18 to May 28 with eight doubles, two triples, three home runs, 20 RBIs, 18 runs scored, five walks and two stolen bases. In that span, Schulz raised his batting average from .185 to lead the team at .333. He hit safely in nine of the last 10 games with six multi-hit games in that stretch.

Schulz had a career-best seven-game hitting streak and 22-game reached-base streak end on April 2 at UT Arlington. He has 18 multi-hit games, including a season-high three hits on March 27 vs. Georgia State and April 10 vs. Troy. 

He is slashing .286/.321/.391 with nine doubles, one triple, three home runs, 32 RBIs, 21 runs scored, 12 walks and four stolen bases. He leads the team with his 32 RBIs and is second on the team with 55 hits and nine doubles. 

Over the weekend against Texas State, he led the team going 5-for-12 (.417) with three RBIs, one run scored and two walks.

BRADY NAMED TO FIRST CAREER START
ULM head coach Michael Federico announced freshman Cole Brady will make his first career start on Tuesday at Northwestern State. He has made just two prior appearances in 2022. He threw an inning against Stephen F. Austin on March 23, allowing an unearned run on two hits with two strikeouts and one walk. He made his collegiate debut against New Orleans on March 6, allowing a run on one hit with one walk in 1/3 of an inning.

The Nacogdoches, Texas, native was a four-year letterwinner at Central Heights High School and posted a 0.67 ERA as a senior in 2021.

ORTON SLAMS THE DOOR
Redshirt sophomore right-hander Carson Orton earned his sixth save of the season on April 26 at McNeese, pitching a scoreless ninth inning, allowing a hit with two strikeouts. It marked the 15th save of his career, moving him into third place on the career saves list at ULM, passing Bobby Carro with 14 saves from 2001-02. He trails Anthony Herrera's 23 saves from 2015-17 and Mark Wisniewski's 20 saves from 1982-85.

His nine saves last season ranks third in a single season in ULM history, tied with Carro's 2001 season. With one more save, Orton will become the second pitcher with two seasons ranking inside the Top 10 in saves in program history, joining Anthony Herrera.

The Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, native is 1-1 with six saves in 2022 with a 3.41 ERA over 29 innings, spread across 20 appearances. He has allowed 15 runs, 11 earned, on 34 hits with 26 strikeouts to 14 walks.

WE'RE GOING STREAKING
ULM enters Tuesday's game vs. Northwestern State with one hitting streak of five-or-more games and two reached base streaks of five-or-more games.

Senior Grant Schulz extended his career-high hitting streak to nine games over the weekend series against Texas State, going 5-for-12 at the plate.

Senior Trace Henry had a season-high seven-game hitting streak end on Saturday, but he reached base safely on a walk and has reached base safely in a team-best 12 consecutive games.

WARHAWK WALK-OFF
ULM has picked up two walk-off wins at this season.

The Warhawks picked up their second walk-off of the year on April 20. In the 10th inning, sophomore Chase DeJean hit a sacrifice fly to deep left center, scoring senior Trace Henry to defeat McNeese, 4-3.

ULM junior Travis Washburn brought an end to the March 25 5-3 ULM win over Georgia State, hitting a 2-run walk-off home run to right field in the bottom of the 11th inning. It was his third home run of the season and capped a two-hit, three-RBI night for the junior.

LOCAL CONNECTIONS
The 2022 ULM roster features seven players from inside Ouachita Parish. The Warhawks have four players who attended West Monroe High School (senior Ryan Cupit, sophomore Chase DeJean and Carson Jones and freshman Lane Little), two from Sterlington High School (redshirt freshman Adam Tubbs and true freshman William Perkins) and one from Ouachita Parish High School (true freshman Zach Shaw). Overall, the Warhawks have 17 players hailing from the state of Louisiana.

O CANADA!
The 2021 ULM baseball roster features two players from Canada: pitcher Tylor Jans (Edmonton, Alberta) and pitcher Lucas Wepf (Brampton, Ontario).