NATCHITOCHES, La. – ULM scored nine-straight runs from the third through ninth innings as five Warhawk pitchers limited Northwestern State to just two runs on seven hits in a 9-2 win over the Demons Tuesday night at Brown-Stroud Field.
 
It marked ULM's first win over NSU in Natchitoches since March 26, 2013, a span of nine games, and brought the Warhawks back within two games in the all-time series, 116-114. It is the most-played rivalry in ULM program history.
 
Colby Lunsford paced ULM's offense with three hits, including a triple, with two RBIs and two runs scored. Jake Haggard hit his second home run of the season among his two hits with two RBIs, while Hasani Johnson had his second-straight two-hit game, adding a double, in his first career start. Ten different Warhawks had at least one hit on the night as ULM racked up 14 hits. ULM scored seven of its nine runs with two outs in the inning.
 
The pitching staff was on point as well. Brandt Corley (1-0) made the start and earned the win, allowing one run on two hits with one strikeout in two innings. Beau Blanchard and Chipper Menard each threw a scoreless inning, while Davis Oswalt threw three shutout and hitless innings with four strikeouts. Aidan Haynes threw the final two innings, allowing one run on two hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
 
Northwestern State was led by two hits each from Rocco Gump and Colin Rains. Aidan Newton (0-1) took the loss in the start for NSU, allowing three runs on eight hits with three strikeouts over four innings.
 
ULM fell behind to start the game for the seventh time in eight games as Gump tripled in the first inning and scored on a wild pitch for the 1-0 Demon lead.
                                                                                                                                      
It wouldn't last, however. In the third inning, Johnson doubled with one out. After a fly out by Easton Winfield, Lunsford picked up an RBI single to knot the game at 1. Michelle Artzberger then doubled to left to plate Lunsford for the 2-1 advantage. Haggard continued the two-out rally with an RBI double to bring in Artzberger for the 3-1 lead.
 
NSU had a chance to draw within a run in the fourth inning, as Samuel Stephenson singled with two outs. Lathen Buzard was thrown out at home by Shawn Dalton Weatherbee on the play, ending the inning and the threat.
 
ULM started to pull away in the seventh inning. Lunsford hit a two-out RBI single through the right side to score Johnson for the 4-1 lead.
 
Haggard led off the eighth inning with a solo home run to expand the lead to 5-1.
 
ULM erased any doubt with four runs in the top of the ninth inning. A bases-loaded walk by Artzberger scored Jayson Zmejkoski. Kade Dupont hit an RBI single on the infield to plate Winfield. Carson Jones added a 2-RBI single to score Lunsford and Artzberger for the 9-1 lead.
 
NSU got a run back in the bottom of the ninth after Rains tripled and scored on a wild pitch.
 
ULM continues the double midweek road trip at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Stephen F. Austin.