MONROE, La. -- The ULM softball team (19-14, 2-4 Sun Belt) dropped the series finale to South Alabama (17-11-1, 3-3) 5-4 in 13 innings on Sunday (March 24) at the ULM Softball Complex. The game lasted 4 hours and 14 minutes and was the longest ULM softball game by innings since 2018.

The Jaguars struck first when Odalys Cordova singled home Sasha Willems with two outs. Lourdes Bacon singled up the middle in her first at bat versus Olivia Lackie. With two outs and Bacon standing on second base, Meagan Brown hustled out an infield hit to the pitcher, and Bacon was waved home and slid in before the tag to tie the game at 1-1. In the second inning, South Alabama worked consecutive walks at the plate and jumped back in front when Marley Sims drove in Bailey Welch on a ground ball base hit up the middle. The Jags added another run when Olivia Branstetter drove in the visitors' third run of the game with two outs, but Bacon threw out a runner at the plate on the same play to end the inning. In the Warhawks' half of the second, Maryssa Zenzen was hit by a pitch and Andie Edwards singled with no one out. Kelsey Giddens moved both runners with a sacrifice bunt. Taylor Broddick slid in ahead of the tag at the plate on an Elle Carter bunt that closed the gap to one run. The Warhawks loaded the bases with one out, but Lackie escaped the jam and kept her team in front after a popout and a diving catch by left fielder Welch. 

Gianni Hulett worked around a pair of singles in the top of the third inning and strung together three-straight outs to keep ULM's deficit at one run. Meagan Brown walked on four pitches and swiped second base to start the bottom of the inning. With two outs, Brown stole third and Edwards sizzled a ball through the left side with two strikes and evened the score at 3-3. Kassidy Giddens entered the game from the bullpen with one out and one runner on in the fourth and completed the inning by getting the final two outs without allowing a run. Carter singled to lead off the bottom half of the fourth, but ULM was unable to break through to take the lead and the game remained tied. Despite a walk to begin the fifth, Giddens posted another scoreless inning by recording three consecutive outs. ULM was retired in order to wrap up the inning.

Carter singled in the sixth inning with two outs for ULM's only hit of the inning as the score stayed the same. Bacon cut down a South Alabama hitter attempting to stretch a single into a double in the seventh inning for the second out, as Giddens posted another socreless inning. Platt led the seventh off with a base hit, but the Warhawks were unable to score, as the game moved into extra innings.

Giddens continued to shut down the Jags' bats and recorded a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the eighth before ULM went down in order in the bottom half of the inning. The Jaguars threatened in the top of the ninth with a pair of walks. Bristin Bordeau stopped the scoring opportunity for USA by inducing a fly out and holding the Jags scoreless. ULM was held to no runs in the bottom of the ninth and the game advanced to the 10th inning. Bordeau worked around a leadoff hit and avoided any damage in the 10th from South Alabama. Lippert reached first on an infield hit, but was then caught stealing for ULM's only runner in the bottom of the 10th.

The Jaguars set up runners at first and third with one out in the top of the 11th when Nichols was called back into the circle. She fanned a Jaguar and induced a fly out and escaped out of the jam. Zenzen hustled down the line for a base hit to start the Warhawks' 11th inning. After two fielder's choices, Kelsey Giddens moved to second on a wild pitch. Carter was robbed of her third hit of the day when the USA shortstop made a diving catch to end the 11th inning without breaking the tie.

South Alabama broke through in the 12th inning when Sims crossed home plate on a wild pitch. Bacon ripped a double to the center field wall in the 12th and Platt followed with an infield hit. Lippert advanced Bacon and Platt into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Meagan Brown tied the game with a sac fly that scored Bacon to even the count, 4-4.

The Jags went back in front in the 13th inning when Branstetter parked a homer to left field. Edwards singled with one out in the bottom of the 13th, but the Jags secured the final two outs of the game and won the marathon conference battle, 5-4.

The Warhawks will travel to West Virginia next week for a three-game Sun Belt series at Marshall. The series will begin on Thursday (March 28) and continue through Saturday (March 30).