HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- The ULM softball team (21-14, 4-4 Sun Belt) scored three runs in the final three innings to claim its conference series at Marshall (17-17, 3-5) after winning 3-1 in game two on Friday (March 29) at Dot Hicks Field.
After a 1-2-3 top of the first inning, Marshall's Bella Gerlach powered a leadoff home run for the Thunder Herd. Marshall loaded the bases with one out, but
Victoria Abrams setlled in and escaped further damage by forcing a fly out and a fielder's choice.
Andie Edwards singled for the Warhawks' first hit of the game in the second inning.
Brooklin Lippert walked for an additional baserunner, but the Warhawks could not even the score. After a scoreless third,
Layla Thompson doubled to left field with two outs. Lippert reached on an error and stole second to set up a pair of runners in scoring position with two outs. Marshall recorded the final out of the inning and maintained a 1-0 lead through four. Abrams struck out her fifth batter of the game for the final out of the fourth inning.
Madison Blount singled to center field and
Elle Carter followed with a double, moving pinch runner
Taylor Broddick to third. After Broddick was cut down at the plate for the first out, the Thundering Herd collected the second out of the inning on a fly out. With runners at second and third and two outs,
Meagan Brown delivered another clutch hit this weekend for the Warhawks and drove in Carter and
Lourdes Bacon to give the Warhawks a 2-1 lead. Abrams sat down the first Marshall hitter on a line out and
Gianni Hulett entered the game in a relief role. Hulett forced two groundouts to retire the side and keep the Warhawks in front. Thompson extended ULM's lead to three with her first home run in a Warhawk uniform to begin the sixth. ULM threatened with a scoring chance in the seventh when
Carys Platt singled with two outs on a bunt and stole second base. Brown reached again on a walk, but Marshall kept the Warhawk lead at two. That was all the run support Hulett needed, as she shut down the Thundering Herd with a 1-2-3 sixth and seventh innings to wrap up a game two win for the Warhawks.
The ULM softball team will conclude the three-game set on the road at Marshall tomorrow (March 30) morning at 9:30 a.m. CT.
