ULM Warhawks

ULM (2-1 overall, 0-0 Sun Belt Conference) at Mississippi State (2-1 overall, 0-0 Southeastern Conference)
Dudy Noble Field | Starkville, Mississippi

4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21 | WATCH: SEC Network+ | LISTEN: KMLB.com | LIVE STATS
Hollis Huff (6-2, Jr., LHP) vs. Bradley Loftin (6-3, Fr., LHP)

3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22 | WATCH: SEC Network+ | LIVE STATS
Brandt Corley (6-1, Fr., LHP) vs. Jurrangelo Cijntje (5-11, Fr., BHP)

GAME NOTES

MONROE, La. - The ULM baseball team goes on the road for the first time in 2023 to face off with Mississippi State at 4 p.m. Tuesday and 3 p.m. Wednesday at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville. Both teams are 2-1 on the season, after ULM won 7-0 on Friday, lost 8-6 on Saturday and won 8-4 on Sunday against Bradley, and MSU won 11-2 on Friday, lost 14-13 on Saturday and won 9-3 on Sunday vs. VMI.

Both games will be available to stream on SEC Network+. Tuesday's game will stream on KMLB.com and the TuneIn app. The Voice of the Warhawks, Mike Hammett, will have the play-by-play. Due to schedule conflicts with ULM basketball, Wednesday's game will not air on the Warhawk Radio Network from Learfield.

ULM head coach Michael Federico is in his sixth 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. In 2022, Federico led the Warhawks to their third consecutive appearance in the SBC Championship, including a first-round win against Georgia State before falling to eventual regional-finalist team Texas State in the rain-altered single-elimination quarterfinals.

Several Warhawks made their collegiate and NCAA Division I debuts over the weekend series vs. Bradley. Junior catcher Matt Abshire made two starts and played in all three games against the Braves, going 4-for-7 at the plate for a team-high .571 batting average while scoring a team-best four times. Freshman outfielder Cardell Thibodeaux started all three games in left field and hit .444 (4-for-9) with a double, three RBIs, four walks and four stolen bases while making a leaping catch against the left field wall for the final out of Sunday's win. Junior outfielder Shawn Dalton Weatherbee started all three games as the leadoff hitter, with a batting average of .400 (4-for-10) with a double and three RBIs, all with two outs. Red-shirt freshman second baseman Kade Dupont started all three games and hit .333 (4-for-12) with two RBIs and three runs scored. Freshman third baseman Jake Haggard went 2-for-10 at the plate, but made several solid defensive plays, including a diving catch on a line drive to start a key inning-ending double play on Sunday.

Junior first baseman Michelle Artzberger led the way for the handful of returning players, starting all three games while hitting .273 (3-for-11) with two doubles, a team-high five RBIs, one run scored, three walks and two stolen bases. Junior infielder Carson Jones and senior outfielder Travis Washburn each picked up a hit with two walks in part-time roles on opening weekend.

WARHAWKS, BULLDOGS MEET FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2019
ULM and Mississippi State clash for the first time since the 2019 season at 4 p.m. Tuesday and 3 p.m. Wednesday at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville.

In the last meeting, the No. 5-ranked Bulldogs rolled to a 21-8 win over ULM on April 3, 2019. The two teams met in Biloxi in 2016, with No. 7 MSU picking up a 1-0 win in 14 innings. The Warhawks last defeated the Bulldogs, 7-1, on April 1, 2009, at Warhawk Field in Monroe. ULM last defeated Mississippi State in Starkville, 8-7, in the second game of the last double midweek played between the two on March 7, 2001.

NEW FACES FOR A NEW SEASON IN 2023
A current roster is a must for anyone watching the 2023 ULM Warhawks early in the season. ULM features 24 newcomers among its 36-man roster.

In the outfield, Chenar Brown, a highly-decorated transfer from Jackson State, is one of those newcomers to watch. The 6-foot-7, 235-pounder was a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American in 2021 along with first-team All-Southwestern Conference and SWAC Freshman of the Year. Brown should be a fixture in right field alongside Shawn Dalton Weatherbee in center. The 5-10, 220-pound Weatherbee hit .297 and belted nine home runs for Northeast Mississippi Community College prior to joining the Warhawks. Sterlington, Louisiana, native Jarrett McDonald, who comes to ULM after stops at LSU-Eunice and Dallas Baptist, is the top contender to start in left field. Travis Washburn, who is one of the returning players, and highly-regarded freshman Cardell Thibodeaux should also factor into the outfield mix.

Around the infield, first baseman Michelle Artzberger, who started 44 games and ranked sixth on the team last season with a .265 batting average, is returning. Other experienced returnees are the versatile Chase DeJean (.259, 3 HR) and infielder Carson Jones (.212, 4 HR). Red-shirt freshman Kade Dupont, Jones and Mississippi State transfer Davis Meche are in the mix for the second base spot. Auburn transfer and Sterlington, Louisiana, native Seaver Sheets, the son of ULM legend Ben Sheets, will also be a factor in the middle infield. Competition at shortstop includes Tallahassee Community College transfer Jayson Zmejkoski, Jones and DeJean. Third base options include DeJean and freshman Jake Haggard. Matt Abshire, a pickup from Pensacola State College, and Riley Davis from Itawamba Community College are the top contenders to catch for the Warhawks.

While there are more returners on the mound, there are still some impact additions. Chipper Menard, a junior left-handed transfer from the Sun Belt Conference rival Ragin' Cajuns, is expected to be Sunday's starting pitcher. As a sophomore with the Cajuns in 2022, Menard made 26 appearances with a 5-1 record, three saves and 4.48 ERA.

Also new to ULM in 2023 is pitching coach Ryan McClaran. McClaran spent last season at Maine. He is a Texas native and has a stint with the Army on his resume.

KEY RETURNERS SET TO HELP LEAD 2023 WARHAWKS
The Warhawks return four position players that saw time in 2022. Junior first baseman Michelle Artzberger is the top returning hitter by average after hitting .265 last season with 45 hits, 11 doubles, five home runs, 25 RBIs, 16 runs scored and 20 walks. His five homers are also tops among returners. The Lawton, Oklahoma, native is also renowned for his defense at first base, and made a game-saving pick in last season's 7-5 win at the Ragin' Cajuns on April 15.

Junior infielder Carson Jones is back as the top returner in RBIs (31), runs scored (18) and stolen bases (six, tied with Travis Washburn). The Monroe native hit .212 last season wtih 28 hits, six doubles, one triple, four home runs and 17 walks. His seven multi-RBI games ranked third on the team last season and is tops among returners. He had a career-high six RBIs at McNeese on April 26.

Other position players returning include fifth-year senior Travis Washburn, one of ULM's two seniors on the roster, who played in 39 games with 29 starts with two doubles, two triples and three homers last year, and junior Chase DeJean, who played in 33 games with 24 starts with three doubles, three homers and 17 RBIs last year.

On the mound, ULM returns eight players who saw time in 2022. Fifth-year junior left-hander Cam Barlow is expected to start the season-opener for the second-consecutive year on Friday night. The Halls, Tennessee, native started 15 games last year, going 2-7 with a 5.14 ERA over a team-high 77 innings, allowing 53 runs, 44 earned, on 82 hits with 69 strikeouts and 31 walks. Junior right-hander Cole Cressend also returns to the weekend rotation, while top bullpen options in junior right-handers Carson Orton and Nicholas Judice also return for the Warhawks. Sophomore right-hander Henry Shuffler returns as a possible bullpen or midweek starting option, while junior right-hander Chase DeJean, sophomore right-hander Zach Shaw and sophomore left-hander Adam Tubbs return in the bullpen.

LOCAL CONNECTIONS
The 2023 ULM baseball roster includes six players who played high school baseball inside Ouachita (wah-shuh-tah) Parish. The roster includes three players from Sterlington High School in senior outfielder Jarrett McDonald, freshman infielder Seaver Sheets and sophomore left-handed pitcher Adam Tubbs; two players from West Monroe High School in junior infielder and right-handed pitcher Chase DeJean and junior infielder Carson Jones; and one player from Ouachita High School in sophomore right-handed pitcher Zach Shaw.

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR
The 2023 ULM baseball roster features both a Canadian and an Australian. Pitcher Russell Derbyshire (Leamington, Ontario) represents Canada on the roster. It marks the sixth consecutive season ULM has had at least one Canadian on the roster. Pitcher Max Mrakovcic (Sydney, Australia) is the lone Australian on the roster.

ULM PICKED 11TH IN NEW LOOK SUN BELT CONFERENCE
The ULM baseball team was selected to finish 11th in the Sun Belt Conference in the preseason SBC Coaches' Poll, announced Feb. 8 by the SBC office.

The Warhawks finished with 58 points, sitting behind 10th-place James Madison at 73 points and ahead of App State at 43 points. Southern Miss earned 11 first-place votes and was picked to win the league with 192 points, ahead of Georgia Southern and Texas State, who tied for second. 

Seven different SBC programs were noted in at least one of the five major national preseason polls.

Southern Miss, which hosted a NCAA Baseball Regional and Super Regional a year ago, was ranked among the Top 25 in every major preseason poll. The Golden Eagles were listed as high as No. 18 by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and D1Baseball, while also earning nods in the USA Today Sports Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll (No. 19), the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason Poll (No. 20) and the Baseball America Preseason Top 25 (No. 21). 
 
2022 NCAA Baseball Regional host Georgia Southern was also listed at No. 35 by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, which ranks the Top 50 teams in its preseason edition, and received votes in both the NCBWA and USA Today Sports Baseball Coaches preseason ledgers. 
 
The Sun Belt Conference fell one game short of sending a team to a Super Regional for the fourth and fifth time since 2014 a year ago—with both Coastal Carolina and Texas State reaching their respective regional finals. 
 
Both the Chanticleers and Bobcats received votes in all three preseason polls that publish a receiving votes category—Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, NCBWA and USA Today Sports Baseball Coaches. 
 
The Ragin' Cajuns, the Sun Belt's fourth postseason participant from 2022, earned preseason mention from both Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and NCBWA. 
 
Old Dominion—which was among the last four teams left out of last year's NCAA field—and Troy—which advanced to last year's Sun Belt Baseball Championship semifinals—received votes in the NCBWA preseason publication. 
 
The Sun Belt boasted the No. 6 conference RPI in the nation in 2022—trailing only the SEC, ACC, Big 12, Pac-12 and Conference USA. Four current Sun Belt programs were listed among the Top 30 in the final RPI in 2022—No. 20 Texas State, No. 22 Southern Miss, No. 25 Georgia Southern and No. 29 Coastal Carolina. 
 
No. 46 Old Dominion, No. 54 Ragin' Cajuns, No. 73 South Alabama, No. 97 Georgia State and No. 100 Troy gave the new-look Sun Belt nine teams among the Top 100 at the conclusion of the 2022 campaign. 
 
Sun Belt baseball programs have earned 18 NCAA berths over the past 10 seasons. 

HUFF PICKS UP FIRST CAREER START AT MSU
ULM head coach Michael Federico hands the ball to junior left-handed pitcher Hollis Huff for his first appearance and start as a Warhawk on Tuesday at Mississippi State. Huff is a transfer from Barton Community College in Great Bend, Kansas. The Norman, Oklahoma, native appeared in eight games as a red-shirt second-year freshman in 2022, going 1-1 while throwing 9 2/3 innings, allowing 11 runs with 10 strikeouts and nine walks. He did not pitch in 2021 after having elbow surgery. As a true freshman in 2020, he appeared in six games for the Cougars, going 1-0 with a 3.52 ERA over 7 2/3 innings before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He originally committed to Wichita State out of high school. Huff helped Norman North High School win district and regional championships, going 9-1 with a 1.00 ERA on the mound as a senior.

CORLEY SLATED FOR ULM DEBUT ON WEDNESDAY
Freshman left-handed pitcher Brandt Corley is slated to make his collegiate debut on Wednesday at Mississippi State. He was a three-year varsity letterwinner at Lovejoy High School in Texas, helping the Leopards reach the fourth round of the state playoffs in 2021 and the third round of the state playoffs in 2022. In his senior season, the Lucas, Texas, native came back from surgery to work as the ace of the staff. As a junior, he started Tuesday games in district play, picking up eight wins, 88 strikeouts and a 0.57 ERA to earn First-Team All-District recognition. As a sophomore in 2020, he was 2-0 with a 0.82 ERA and 21 strikeouts before the season ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He earned Academic All-American recognition.

He is the cousin of Jake Thompson, who was drafted by the Detroit Tigers and played in the Tigers, Texas Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies organizations, making his Major League debut with the Phillies and also played in Korea and Mexico.

WARHAWK BULLPEN HAS BRIGHT SPOTS ON OPENING WEEKEND
The ULM bullpen worked 12 1/3 innings over the first three games of the season against Bradley, with six pitchers combining to post a 2.92 ERA, allowing five runs, four earned, on 12 hits with five walks and 13 strikeouts. Junior right-hander Nicholas Judice led the way, tossing three shutout innings on Friday against the Braves, allowing one hit with one walk and five strikeouts. Freshman right-hander Justin Robinson earned the save on Sunday, firing the final 1 2/3 innings, giving up two walks with two strikeouts. Junior right-hander Russell Derbyshire also threw a scoreless and hitless inning with one walk and one strikeout on Friday night. On Saturday, Dalton Burrell threw three innings, allowing one run on four hits with one walk and one strikeout.

WARHAWK WALK-OFF
ULM picked up three walk-off wins last season.

ULM posted its only walk-off by run-rule of the season on May 11 vs. Jackson State. Ryan Cupit hit a 2-RBI single up the middle to put the Warhawks ahead 13-2 in the eighth inning, ending the contest. 

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

ULM senior 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.