ULM Travels to Ruston for I-20 Showdown Against LA Tech

Softball Mar 07

RUSTON, La. – The ULM softball team (14-8) travels 40 miles west on I-20 for a showdown against Louisiana Tech (14-5) on Tuesday, March 7 at 6 p.m. at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.

ULM, which took two out of three games last weekend at Nicholls, has won seven out of its last nine games. LA Tech has opened its current 10-game homestand with a five-game winning streak. At 14-5, the Lady Techsters are off to their best start since 2019 when it went 15-4 through their first 19 games.

Tuesday's game marks the 108th meeting between ULM and LA Tech. The Lady Techsters Lead the all-time series, 69-38; however, the Warhawks have won three of the last four meetings. Last season, ULM and LA Tech split the regular-season series with the Lady Techsters winning in Ruston, 9-0 (5 inn.), on April 5 while the Warhawks posted a 3-2 victory in eight innings in Monroe. ULM's last win in Ruston came on April 13, 2021, 5-4.

Three Warhawks are batting above .300, led by Lourdes Bacon (.365; 27-of-74, 11 runs scored, 9 RBI), followed by Kennedy Johnson (.361; 22-of-61, 18 runs scored, 11 RBI) and Madelyn Fletcher (.311; 14-of-45, 10 RBI).

Bacon, who had a team-best nine-game hitting streak snapped in Game 1 of last Saturday's doubleheader at Nicholls, leads the team in hits (27), stolen bases (14) and multi-hit games (7). The junior from San Antonio, Texas, ranks among the Sun Belt Conference in hits (tied for first) and stolen bases (fourth). She also is listed among the NCAA Division I leaders in hits (tied at No. 30) and steals (No. 14).

Johnson, who leads the Warhawks in runs scored (18), slugging percentage (.541) and on-base percentage (.409), has recorded six multi-hit games. She went 3-for-4 and drove in the game-winning run in the sixth inning against Abilene Christian last Wednesday. A native of Houston, Texas, Kennedy has hit safely in seven of her last eight games, batting .500 (12-of-24) with 10 runs scored, two home runs and five RBI during that stretch.

Fletcher has hit safely in six of her last eight games, hitting .348 (8-of-23) with four RBI during that stretch.

Ashlan Ard (.279; 12-of-43) leads the team in RBI (14) and ranks second in slugging percentage (.471).

As a team, ULM leads the Sun Belt and ranks No. 10 in the NCAA Division I with its .982 fielding percentage.

Three pitchers – Gianni Hulett (5-1, 2.23 ERA, 23 strikeouts), Adrianna Chavarria (4-1, 2.37 ERA, team-leading 28 strikeouts) and Victoria Abrams (2-2, 3.22 ERA, 23 strikeouts) – have combined to throw 122 1/3 innings.

Hulett, who leads the Sun Belt in strikeouts-to-walks ratio (11.5; 23 strikeouts, 2 walks), also ranks second in the conference and fourth in the NCAA Division I with four saves.

In her last six appearances, she has allowed three earned runs on 16 hits over 21 2/3 innings with no walks and nine strikeouts. Hulett has posted four wins – all in relief – to go along with a save during that six-game stretch.

ULM's 2023 roster features 11 players (of 23) from Louisiana.

LA Tech ranks among the Conference USA leaders in four offensive categories: on-base percentage (first at .406), scoring (second at 5.16 runs per game), batting average (fifth at .285) and doubles (fifth with 27).

Tech's lineup features four players hitting .300 or higher, including Kylie Neel (.375; 21-of-56, 14 runs scored, 5 doubles, 20 RBI), Caroline Easom (.348; 16-of-46, 3 doubles), Katelin Cooper (.333; 15-of-45, 3 home runs, 14 RBI) and Brooke Diaz (.300; 15-of-50).

LA Tech's pitching staff has combined to throw 23-straight scoreless innings, including four shutouts. The Lady Techsters lead C-USA and rank No. 38 in NCAA Division I with a team ERA of 1.96.

Mary Martinez leads LA Tech in wins (4-1), saves (3) and ERA (1.29) while tossing 21 2/3 innings. Brook Melynchuk has compiled a 3-2 record to go along with a 1.75 ERA.

Tuesday's game will be streamed live on CUSA.tv.

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ULM Travels to Ruston for I-20 Showdown Against LA Tech