MONROE, La. – The ULM softball team swept Alcorn State in run-rule fashion in the team's home opener on Wednesday (Feb. 14) at the ULM Softball Complex in Monroe, La. The Warhawks won game one 12-2 and followed up with a 9-1 win in the nightcap.
 
Game One – ULM 12, Alcorn State 2 (5 inn.)
The Braves plated a pair of runs in the first half inning and took an early 2-0 lead. The Warhawks responded in the bottom half of an inning with a run when Morgan Brown singled through the left side and scored Lourdes Bacon. Kassidy Giddens recorded a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the second and struck out two to keep Alcorn State off the scoreboard.
 
Brooklin Lippert led off the bottom of the second with a bunt base hit. Layla Thompson blasted a triple to right field that scored Lippert and tied the game, 2-2. After a walk and a hit by pitch, Platt put the Warhawks in the lead with a two-RBI single to center field. ULM added one more run in the second when Ashlan Ard drew a walk with the bases loaded to score Platt.
 
After a scoreless third, the Warhawks generated seven runs in the bottom of the fourth and pushed the lead to 10. Elle Carter started the big inning with a triple to center field. After Platt and Bacon walked, Andie Edwards and Morgan Brown both drove in runs with bases loaded walks. Ard scored Bacon on a sacrifice fly to make the score 8-2 Warhawks. Jacelyn Buck stepped up to the plate in a pinch hit role and drove in Brown and Edwards to give ULM an eight-run cushion. Carter scored Lippert on a sacrifice fly and Platt wrapped up the huge inning with a single up the middle that scored Buck. Bristin Bordeau recorded the final three outs in the circle and the Warhawks won game one, 12-2.
 
Platt led the way with a 3-for-3 game and scored two runs while driving in three. Six different Warhawks each had one hit. Morgan Brown, Buck and Ard all finished with a pair of RBIs. Kassidy Giddens picked up the win after throwing 4.0 innings and striking out three while surrendering just one earned run. Bordeau completed one inning of scoreless work.
 
Game Two – ULM 9, Alcorn State 1 (5 inn.)
Madison Blount broke open the scoring in the second inning on a sacrifice fly that scored Lippert to get the Warhawks on the scoreboard. In the bottom of the third, Platt scampered home on a fielder's choice and increased the Warhawks' edge to 2-0. ULM loaded the bases in the third, but the Braves recorded an inning-ending double play to keep ULM's lead to two.
 
After the Braves scored one run in the top of the fourth, the Warhawks' offense posted five runs in the bottom of the fourth and pushed the lead to 7-1. Blount began the inning with a hit to left field. After an Alcorn State error and a sacrifice bunt, Taylor Broddick scored on an error for the inning's first run. Carter cleared the bases with a triple over the right fielder's head to put ULM ahead, 5-1. Morgan Brown capped off the inning with a mammoth home run to left field and padded the Warhawks' lead to 7-1. The Warhawks held Alcorn State scoreless in the fifth and Meagan Brown completed the run spread win with a base hit that scored Maryssa Zenzen and Blount.
 
Carter and Blount both finished with multi-hit games, with Carter tallying a trio of RBIs. Morgan Brown blasted her second home run of the season while Carter finished with two extra-base hits on a triple and double. Maddie Nichols was the winning pitcher after completing four innings and striking out seven. Victoria Abrams tossed a scoreless fifth inning and struck out one.
 
Up Next
The ULM softball team hosts the Warhawk Invitational starting on Friday and will play Lindenwood and Louisiana Tech at the ULM Softball Complex.