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ULM Softball Entertains No. 18 LSU in Midweek Showdown Wednesday

ULM Softball Entertains No. 18 LSU in Midweek Showdown Wednesday

Softball Feb 22
Live Stats
 
MONROE, La. – ULM (7-5) will face No. 18 LSU (11-0) before a sellout crowd in Monroe, Louisiana, on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 6 p.m. It marks the Tigers' first appearance at the ULM Softball Complex since April 1, 2014.
 
"It's going to be an incredible opportunity for our team to host LSU Wednesday night," ULM head coach Molly Fichtner said. "This is one of the few sellouts in program history, so we couldn't be more thrilled to compete against a quality opponent in a big-time atmosphere."
 
Playing on the road for the first time this spring, LSU improved its record to 11-0 with a 3-1 victory at Louisiana Tech Tuesday night. The Tigers welcome back 13 players, including seven starters, from last year's team that finished 34-23 and advanced to the NCAA Regionals.
 
As a team, LSU ranks among the NCAA Division I leaders in batting average (No. 16 at .348), on-base percentage (No. 18 at .434) and slugging percentage (No. 33 at .514) while averaging nearly six runs per game (5.8). The Tigers' lineup features six players hitting over .333, including three over .400, in Clara Briggs (.444; 16-of-36, 14 runs scored), Georgia Clark (.423; 11-of-260) and Taylor Pleasants (.405; 15-of-37, 5 home runs, 21 RBI). The LSU pitching staff is listed among the NCAA leaders in earned run average (No. 18 at 1.28) and shutouts (No. 10 with 4). Two pitchers – Sydney Berzon (4-0, 0.34 ERA, 19 strikeouts) and Ali Kilponen (3-0, 1.58 ERA, 29 strikeouts) – have logged more than 20 innings each this season.
 
Outfielder Lourdes Bacon leads the Warhawks in batting average (.385), hits (15), runs scored (9; tied with Kennedy Johnson), total bases (15) and stolen bases (10-for-10). She leads the Sun Belt in hits and stolen bases while ranking among the NCAA Division I leaders in both statistical categories (fourth in steals and 21st in hits). In addition, Bacon ranks as the NCAA's toughest hitter to strike out (once in 39 at-bats).
 
She earned Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week honors after hitting .500 (11-of-22) with seven runs scored, two RBI and eight stolen bases (8-for-8) in seven games last week (4-3 record). The 5-foot-5 Bacon recorded three-straight multi-hit games to open last week, going 3-for-3 against Alcorn (4-for-4 stolen bases) in Game 1 of a midweek doubleheader, 3-for-4 against Alcorn (3 runs scored, 2-for-2 SB) in Game 2 and 3-for-4 in ULM's 5-4 win over Cal in the opening game of the Wilson Invitational in Long Beach, California. She reached base safely in six of the seven games.
 
"Lou is definitely a spark plug for our offense," Fichtner said. "She has the tools to put extreme pressure on the defense."
 
ULM's playing rotation includes two additional .300 hitters, in Madelyn Fletcher (.353; 6-of-17, 6 RBI) and Ashlan Ard (.321; 9-of-28, team-leading 8 RBI). Last Saturday, Ard delivered a three-run double in the seventh as the Warhawks rallied from a 5-0 deficit for a 7-6 victory over UC Davis.
 
A trio of ULM pitchers have combined to account for 65 1/3 innings thus far this spring: Gianni Hulett (1-0, 2.63 ERA, 3 saves, 14 strikeouts), Victoria Abrams (1-1, 3.23 ERA, 5 starts, 11 strikeouts) and Adrianna Chavarria (3-1, 2.14 ERA, 14 strikeouts).
 
LSU has won the previous 13 meetings in the series, including two games in Monroe (2008 and 2014).
 
Following the midweek contest against the Tigers, ULM will travel to Birmingham, Alabama, to participate in the Green & Gold Classic (Friday, Feb. 24-Sunday, Feb. 26), hosted by UAB. The Warhawks will play five games over three days, beginning with a split doubleheader Friday against Cleveland State at 9 a.m. and Butler at 11:15 a.m., followed by another split doubleheader Saturday against host UAB at 10 a.m. and Cleveland State at 2:30 p.m. ULM will conclude the weekend with single game against UAB at 12:30 p.m.   
 
 
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