MONROE, La. -- The ULM softball team (27-19, 9-8 Sun Belt) fell in a twinbill to No. 25 Texas State (36-12, 12-5) after the Bobcats won game one 7-2 and game two 5-3 at the ULM Softball Complex in Monroe, La.
Game One - Texas State 7, ULM 2
The Warhawks seized an early lead in the first inning after
Maddie Nichols sat the Bobcats down 1-2-3 in the top half of the first. With one out,
Meagan Brown drew a walk and moved up to second base on a wild pitch.
Layla Thompson was hit by a pitch and
Andie Edwards followed with a base knock to right field that loaded the bases.
Brooklin Lippert executed a perfect bunt and slipped the ball past the pitcher to score Brown for ULM's first run. Thompson crossed home plate on a
Carys Platt RBI groundout to bump the Warhawks' lead to 2-0. In the top of the second, Lippert robbed Texas State's Anna Jones of a base hit with a diving catch to keep the momentum on ULM's side. Three Bobcats reached with two outs, but Nichols struck out her second batter of the game to wrap up a scoreless top half of the second. With two outs,
Lourdes Bacon singled to left field and stole second base. Brown followed with a walk, but the Bobcats held ULM to zero runs in the second. JJ Smith doubled home two runs with two outs in the third and evened the score at 2-2. Platt was ULM's only base runner in the bottom of the third on a walk, and the game was tied 2-2 after three innings.
Texas State catcher Karmyn Bass lifted a solo home run to put her team in front in the fourth. Bacon singled to short and swiped second with a pair of outs in the fourth, but Texas State clung to its one-run lead through four innings. After Nichols held the Bobcats off the scoreboard in the top of the fifth, Lippert picked up her second hit of the afternoon with a hit to left center in the bottom of the fifth for ULM's only runner. The 'Cats added another run in the sixth when Piper Randolph launched a solo homer to increase the Bobcats' lead to 4-2.
Elle Carter singled in the bottom of the sixth, but was thrown out stealing second to end the sixth. Sara Vanderford hit the Bobcats' third solo home run of the day, and Texas State tallied two more insurance runs in the seventh. A walk by Brown was the only action for ULM in the bottom of the seventh, as Texas State won game one, 7-2.
Game Two - Texas State 5, ULM 3
With two outs in the first, Vanderford hit her second solo home run of the doubleheader to give the Bobcats the early advantage. Bacon singled to left in the first for ULM's only baserunner. Following both teams being held scoreless in the second, the Bobcats posted three runs in the third to go ahead, 4-0.
Madison Blount walked for ULM in the third inning before Texas State retired three-straight Warhawks. Edwards and Platt both singled in the fourth, but Texas State maintained its 4-0 lead through four innings.
The Bobcats tacked on another run in the fifth on an unearned run from an error made by the Warhawks. Bacon racked up her second hit of game two on a bunt with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. The Warhawks responded in the sixth inning with a two-out rally after Lippert reached on an error and Platt singled for her second hit of the game.
Maryssa Zenzen blasted her second home run of the season that scored Lippert and Platt to close the gap to two runs on the Bobcats. Abrams completed her seventh inning of work by keeping Texas State to five runs. Bacon made it a three-hit game with a single to left field with one out, and the Warhawks brought the tying run to the plate. Texas State wrapped up the game by catching a sharp line drive off the bat of Thompson.
The ULM softball team is slated to conclude the series versus Texas State tomorrow (April 20) at 6 p.m. from the ULM Softball Complex.
