MONROE, La. – Matt Abshire hit a grand slam to highlight a 7-run first inning as ULM scored in five of six offensive innings on its way to a 17-4 win over Alcorn in seven innings Wednesday night at Lou St. Amant Field.
 
For Abshire, it was his first home run as a Warhawk, clearing the wall in the left-field corner. He stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in each of the first three innings, finishing 2-for-4 with six RBIs.
 
ULM scored at least three runs in each of the first four innings. Abshire hit a 2-run single to highlight the 3-run second inning for a 10-3 lead. Jarrett McDonald had a 2-RBI double in the 3-run third, while Kade Dupont hit a solo homer to lead off the 3-run fourth inning.
 
Jake Haggard had three hits and two RBIs to pace ULM, while Shawn Dalton Weatherbee, Riley Davis, McDonald and Abshire had two hits apiece.
 
Tyler Daniels and Jermel Ford led Alcorn with three hits and two RBIs each.
 
Zach Shaw (1-0) earned his first-career win in his first-career start, throwing three innings with three runs on six hits, no walks and no strikeouts. Russell Derbyshire, Trey Lindsay and Adam Tubbs each threw a shutout inning on the mound.
 
Alcorn's Ford took the loss on the mound, allowing seven runs, one earned, on two hits with two walks, three hit batters and one strikeout.
 
ULM resumes Sun Belt Conference play at 6 p.m. Friday vs. the Ragin' Cajuns.