ULM Warhawks

Games 30-32: ULM (15-14 overall, 3-6 Sun Belt Conference) at Ragin' Cajuns (21-8 overall, 8-1 Sun Belt Conference)
M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park | Lafayette, Louisiana

Game 30 | 6 p.m. Friday, April 5, 2024
ULM: Cam Barlow, 5-11, Sr.-6, LHP (1-1, 4.98 ERA, 23 K, 8 BB) vs. CAJUNS: Andrew Herrmann, 6-3, Jr., LHP (2-1, 2.12 ERA, 37 K, 14 BB)
No video stream | LISTEN: 105.7 FM/540 AM KMLB | LIVE STATS

Game 31 | 2 p.m. Saturday, April 6, 2024
ULM: Beau Blanchard, 6-5, Sr. RHP (1-2, 5.62 ERA, 18 K, 9 BB) vs. CAJUNS: Chase Morgan, 6-3, Fr., LHP (2-1, 2.15 ERA, 26 K, 9 BB)
No video stream | LISTEN: 105.7 FM/540 AM KMLB | LIVE STATS

Game 32 | 1 p.m. Sunday, April 7, 2024
ULM: TBA vs. CAJUNS: Carson Fluno, 6-2, Sr., RHP (1-0, 3.32 ERA, 22 K, 9 BB)
WATCH: ESPN+ | LISTEN: 105.7 FM/540 AM KMLB | LIVE STATS

GAME NOTES

MONROE, La. - ULM continues a four-game in-state road swing with a Sun Belt Conference series at the Ragin' Cajuns. First pitch is at 6 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park in Lafayette.

Friday's game is the 157th all-time meeting between the Warhawks and Ragin' Cajuns, with the Cajuns leading the series, 101-55. The Cajuns swept last year's series in at Lou St. Amant Field in Monroe, winning 8-4, 12-4 and 10-0 in a weather-shortened six innings from May 5-7. Last time in Lafayette, the Cajuns won two of three games from April 14-16, 2022, with the Cajuns winning 14-2 on Thursday, ULM picking up a 7-5 win on Friday and the Cajuns clinching the series with a 7-1 win on Saturday.

ULM is 15-14 overall after claiming a 10-6 win over Northwestern State on Wednesday night at Brown-Stroud Field in Natchitoches, Louisiana. The Warhawks exploded for a five-run second inning, picking up a 2-RBI single from Easton Winfield and a 3-RBI double from Michelle Artzberger. NSU closed the gap to 5-4, but ULM responded with three runs in the seventh inning, including an RBI double by Bryce Blaser and a 2-RBI single by Jake Haggard, and two more runs in the ninth inning to preserve the win.  ULM is 3-6 in Sun Belt Conference play after dropping two out of three games over the weekend to No. 19 Coastal Carolina. The Warhawks opened the series with an emphatic 11-3 win on March 28, marking just the second all-time win over the Chanticleers. Shawn Dalton Weatherbee had career highs with four hits and five RBIs in the win, while Cam Barlow surpassed 200 career strikeouts, throwing five innings, allowing one run on five hits with seven strikeouts in picking up the win. CCU bounced back on March 29 with a 4-1 win, as ULM was unable to take advantage of 10 hits and four CCU errors. The Chanticleers rounded out the series with a 9-0 win on March 30, despite Chipper Menard throwing 4 1/3 innings in the start, allowing just one run on three hits with three strikeouts.

The Ragin' Cajuns are the hottest team in college baseball, riding a national-best 12-game winning streak entering the series to move to 21-8 overall and lead the SBC at 8-1 in conference play. The Cajuns defeated Nicholls, 13-3, in seven innings on Tuesday night in Lafayette and swept Texas State last weekend in San Marcos, 4-1, 16-5 and 7-6. The Cajuns lead the SBC and rank 14th nationally with a 3.81 team ERA, lead the SBC and rank seventh nationally in hits allowed per nine innings (7.15) and are third in the SBC and 24th nationally in WHIP (1.33).

There is no video stream for Friday or Saturday's games, while Sunday's series finale will stream on ESPN+. All three games of the series will air on 105.7 FM/540 AM KMLB, KMLB.com and the TuneIn app with Mike Hammett on the call. A link to live stats can be found on the baseball schedule page at ULMWarhawks.com.

McCLARAN AND POD SYSTEM BRING IMPROVEMENT TO PITCHING STAFF
Under the leadership of second-year pitching coach Ryan McClaran, ULM's pitching staff has made a step forward in 2024. Through 29 games, ULM has used 21 pitchers, combining for a 5.66 team ERA, which is nearly two runs better than the 2023 season. The Warhawks also rank sixth in the SBC and 72nd nationally in hits allowed per nine innings (8.85) and fifth in the SBC and 83rd nationally in strikeouts per nine innings (9.3).

BASEBALL HAS THE SACRIFICE
Under Michael Federico, ULM has typically been near the top of the Sun Belt Conference and NCAA Division I in sacrifice bunts, and 2024 has been no different. The Warhawks enter play on Wednesday sitting third in the SBC and 31st nationally with 18 sacrifice bunts on the year. Hasani Johnson has four sacrifice bunts to rank fourth in the SBC and 64th in NCAA Division I. Nine different Warhawks have tallied at least one sacrifice bunt this season and five have multiple sacrifice bunts.

KILGO'S IMPACT
Assistant coach Kyle Kilgo is ULM's new offensive coordinator for the 2024 season, and he has made an immediate impact. ULM's offense has scored 10 or more runs in 11 of the first 29 games of the season after having five such games in the entire 2023 season. The Warhawks have picked up 10 or more hits in 14 games and had double figure hits 18 times in 2023. ULM ranks third in the SBC and 66th nationally in doubles (57), fourth in the SBC and 84th nationally in hits (274), fourth in the SBC and 98th in NCAA Division I in triples (6), fifth in the SBC and 88th nationally in runs (206), fifth in the SBC in on base percentage (.395), sixth in the SBC and 96th nationally in batting average (.288) and seventh in the SBC in slugging percentage (.459).

THE RETURN OF MEECH
Senior Michelle Artzberger returned to the lineup Wednesday night at Northwestern State after missing five games with a leg injury. He has been a force after playing in just 16 games in 2023 due to a hand injury. He has started 24 of 29 games in 2024, slashing .402/.520/.646 with 33 hits, 11 doubles, three home runs, 27 RBIs, 29 runs scored and 17 walks. He leads the team in batting average, doubles, on base percentage and slugging percentage. He leads the Sun Belt Conference and ranks 48th nationally in batting average, third in the SBC and 50th nationally in doubles, fourth in the SBC and 47th nationally in on base percentage, seventh in the SBC and 84th nationally in runs per game (1.21), eighth in the SBC in slugging percentage, and 10th in the SBC in RBIs per game (1.13). According to D1Baseball.com, Artzberger has a 1.65 WAR (Wins Above Replacement), which is second on the team and ranks 14th in the SBC. He carries an active 53-game on base streak into Friday's game after walking in his first plate appearance and hitting a 3-RBI double in his first at bat against Northwestern State on Wednesday. His on base streak dates back to the final 13 games of the 2022 season. He had a career-best 13-game hitting streak snapped in the first game of the March 16 doubleheader vs. Troy.

Artzberger tallied three hits, including a double, with an RBI and a run scored in the opening game of the series at Georgia State on March 23. He had two hits in the weekend series vs. Troy, while adding four walks, including a season-high three walks while scoring twice in the first game of the March 16 doubleheader. 

He had five hits over the weekend series vs. Alabama A&M, coming up with two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored in three innings of work on March 10. He had two hits, including two doubles, with four RBIs and two runs scored on March 8 vs. the Bulldogs.

Artzberger tallied his fifth multi-hit game of the season with two hits, including a home run, with a walk, was hit by a pitch and scored twice at Little Rock last March 5.

Against UIW, he opened the series with three hits, including his fifth double of the season, and scored twice as ULM won a back-and-forth game, 6-5. He picked up two RBIs on his only hit in the middle game of the series against the Cardinals. He closed out the weekend on March 3 with two hits, two RBIs, a walk and a run scored.

He picked up a double with a pair of RBIs on Feb. 27 at Northwestern State.

Against Murray State, Artzberger hit a 2-run home run on Feb. 25 to round out the series. He had three hits with two RBIs and two runs scored on Feb. 24 against the Racers. He was hitless in the series opener on Feb. 23, but was hit by a pitch to keep his reached base streak alive.

Artzberger opened 2024 by picking up three hits, including two doubles, with two runs scored and a walk vs. Missouri State on Feb. 16. He followed it the next day with two walks and two runs scored before rounding out the series on Feb. 18 by going 1-for-4 with a walk.

He played in and started the first 16 games of the 2023 season before missing the rest of the year due to a hand injury. He slashed .246/.403/.474 with 14 hits, four doubles, three home runs, 15 RBIs, 13 runs scored, 13 walks and four stolen bases.

As a second-year sophomore at ULM in 2022, he played in 52 games with 44 starts, slashing .265/.349/.418 with 45 hits, 11 doubles, five home runs, 25 RBIs, 16 runs scored, 20 walks and 42 strikeouts. He reached base safely in the final 13 games of the season to start his reached base streak. He hit two 3-run homers in the 17-17 tie against Coastal Carolina on March 20, 2022.

BLASER PROVIDING CONSISTENT BAT IN LINEUP
Bryce Blaser has hit safely in 19 of 22 games in which he has appeared in his early ULM career, including a career-high three hits with a double, RBI and two runs scored on Wednesday at Northwestern State. Blaser is slashing .355/.427/.539 with eight doubles, two home runs, 15 RBIs, 12 runs scored and eight walks. He had five hits in the series against Coastal Carolina, including two hits in each of the first two games on March 28 and March 29. He had a key double in the ninth inning of the game one win over Georgia State on March 23, while adding a two-RBI double in the first inning of the nightcap of the doubleheader vs. the Panthers. He does not have enough at bats to qualify for Sun Belt Conference or NCAA Division I stat rankings.

He had three hits in the series vs. Troy, picking up two hits, including a 2-RBI double, in the second game of the March 16 doubleheader. He went without a hit for the first time this season in the first game of the doubleheader, but was just 0-for-1 at the plate with an RBI and run scored while adding a walk, sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly. 

He started the first six games before exiting the Feb. 24 game vs. Murray State with a leg injury and missed the next six games. In his return to the lineup, he hit a home on the first pitch he saw and finished with three RBIs vs. Alabama A&M on March 8. He picked up two hits, including a double and an RBI, before the injury. 

He had two hits on Feb. 20 vs. Grambling with a double and a run scored. He was 4-for-11 at the plate in the series with Missouri State, with a home run, three RBIs, three runs scored, one walk and was hit by a pitch twice. Blaser had three RBIs in the win on Feb. 18, following Colby Lunsford's solo shot with one of his own and then added a 2-RBI single to tie the game at 5 in the bottom of the fourth inning. 

The Newport Beach, California, played his freshman season at North Carolina in 2023, appearing in seven games for the Tar Heels.

FRESHMAN SENSATION MAKES IMMEDIATE IMPACT FOR WARHAWKS
True freshman Easton Winfield continues to rank among the top players in the Sun Belt Conference. He is slashing .346/.438/.635 with 36 hits, five doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 19 RBIs, 32 runs scored, 15 walks and 13 stolen bases. According to D1Baseball.com, he leads the team with a 1.72 WAR (wins above replacement), which ranks ninth in the Sun Belt Conference.

The Alvin, Texas, native did not move into the starting lineup until the third game of the season, but leads ULM in hits, runs, home runs, stolen bases and total bases (66). Winfield ranks fourth in the SBC in triples, fifth in stolen bases and ninth in runs scored.

In Wednesday's midweek matchup at Northwestern State, Winfield hit a 2-RBI single to open the scoring and walked twice while picking up three RBIs for the game to match a season high.

All three of his hits in the Georgia State series came in the first game of the doubleheader on March 23, hitting a leadoff homer in the top of the first inning and a double while walking once, scoring twice and picking up a stolen base.

He reached base three times on March 19 vs. Central Arkansas with a double and a pair of walks and scored a run. He collected his eighth multi-hit game of the season with a double and a bunt single while scoring a run and stealing a base in the first game of a doubleheader on March 16 vs. Troy. He picked up an RBI single and scored twice in playing just three innings in the March 10 win over Alabama A&M. He had the first multi-home run game of his career, going 3-for-3 while hitting both of his homers in the bottom of the fifth inning, becoming the first Warhawk to accomplish the feat since 1996, in the March 9 win over Alabama A&M. He had two hits, including his fourth homer of the season, to finish with two RBIs and three runs scored vs. Alabama A&M on March 8. He homered on the first pitch of the game and finished with two RBIs at Little Rock on March 5. He had his fifth multi-hit game of the season with two hits, including a double two runs scored and a stolen base on March 2 vs. UIW. 

Winfield picked up two hits and added an RBI with a run scored at Stephen F. Austin on Feb. 28. He wrapped the series vs. Murray State with a leadoff home run and two walks on Feb. 25. On Feb. 24 vs. the Racers, he had his first career four-hit game, smacking an RBI triple while finishing with two RBIs, four runs scored, a walk and a stolen base. He opened the series vs. Murray State on Feb. 23 by going 1-for-4 at the plate. He had his first career three-hit game on Feb. 20 vs. Grambling, hitting a double and triple with two RBIs against the Tigers. He took advantage of his first career start on Feb. 18, picking up two hits, including his first career home run. The freshman from Alvin, Texas, was fifth on the team with three hits in the series against Missouri State, including a pinch-hit single in the Feb. 17 6-5 loss. 

Winfield was a First-Team All-District selection after hitting .350 with four home runs for Alvin High School as a senior in 2023. He also was a starting middle linebacker on the football field for the Yellow Jackets as a sophomore and junior.

LUNSFORD BRINGS OFFENSIVE BOOST, STRONG DEFENSE AT SHORTSTOP
Colby Lunsford has started all 29 games at shortstop and is slashing .337/.457/.481 with 35 hits, including two doubles, two triples and three home runs, 16 RBIs, 30 runs scored, a team-high 20 walks and three stolen bases. He tallied three hits with an RBI, walk and two runs scored in the series opener vs. No. 19 Coastal Carolina on March 28.

He led ULM in the series at Georgia State, compiling six hits. After picking up two RBIs with a base hit in the first game of the doubleheader on March 23, Lunsford went 3-for-3 in the nightcap with a 2-run home run, a walk and scored twice. He finished off the series March 24 with two more hits.

Lunsford had two hits, including an RBI with two runs scored in the first game of the March 16 doubleheader vs. Troy before adding three walks and two runs scored in the second game of the doubleheader. He picked up two hits, including a double, with a walk and two runs scored vs. Alabama A&M on March 10. He had two hits with two RBIs and a walk at Stephen F. Austin on Feb. 28. He is third on the team in batting average, hits and on base percentage and fourth in slugging percentage. He collected three hits, including a triple, with two RBIs and two runs scored at Northwestern State on Feb. 27. In ULM's win on Feb. 24 over Murray State, he had two hits with an RBI and two runs scored. He hit a solo home run to spark ULM's offense in the Feb. 18 come-from-behind win over Missouri State and later added a double as part of a four-run fourth inning for the Warhawks. 

A junior from Grass Valley, California, Lunsford played the 2023 season at Consumnes River College. He slashed .333/.415/.566 with 53 hits, 11 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 31 RBIs, 43 runs scored and nine stolen bases. He had 17 multi-hit games.

WEATHERBEE RETURNS AS SENIOR LEADER
Fifth-year senior outfielder Shawn Dalton Weatherbee returns after leading ULM with a .279 batting average last season. He has played in 24 games with 23 starts to open 2024. He had a career game with four hits, including a double, and five RBIs while scoring twice and stealing a base in the March 28 11-3 win over No. 19 Coastal Carolina.

He is heating up at the plate, slashing .329/.411/.532. He is 26-of-79 at the plate. Since opening the season 0-of-10, he is hitting .377 (26-of-69). He led ULM with two hits on March 26 at Louisiana Tech, including a 3-run home run in the third inning. He closed out the series at Georgia State with two hits, a walk and a run scored on March 24. He had two of ULM's hits on March 19 vs. Central Arkansas. He had a career-high 11-game hitting streak snapped in the first game of the March 16 doubleheader vs. Troy, but picked up an RBI on a groundout and was hit by a pitch in the win. He has six doubles, two home runs, eight RBIs, 11 runs scored, three walks and has been hit by a pitch seven times.

Weatherbee tallied two hits in the series opener vs. Troy on March 15. He clubbed a game-tying home run in the bottom of the fourth inning on March 12 vs. Ole Miss. He hit three doubles over the weekend vs. Alabama A&M, picking up two doubles on Friday, March 8. Against UIW, he hit a key 2-run home run in the series-opening 6-5 win on March 1. He followed it up with a clutch 2-RBI double to expand the lead vs. UIW on March 3, finishing with two hits against the Cardinals. 

He had a double with two runs scored at Stephen F. Austin on Feb. 28, following up on a 1-for-4 day last Feb. 27 at Northwestern State. He had his first hit of the season, a double, and scored a run on Feb. 25 vs. Murray State.

Weatherbee played in and started 51 contests, slashing .279/.412/.405 with 53 hits, six doubles, six home runs, 24 RBIs, 38 runs scored, 20 walks and 11 stolen bases in 2023. He matched the school single-season record after he was hit by a pitch 23 times, which ranked eighth in NCAA Division I. 

ABSHIRE PROVIDES SENIOR LEADERSHIP BEHIND THE PLATE
Matt Abshire returns for his second season as ULM's catcher in 2024, and has taken over the lion's share of the starts over the last few weeks. Abshire has played in 21 games with 18 starts. He has started nine of the last 10 games at catcher. He is slashing .281/.370/.453 with 18 hits, two doubles, three home runs, 15 RBIs, 10 runs scored, eight walks and a stolen base.

Abshire hit safely in all three games of the series vs. No. 19 Coastal Carolina, collecting two hits with a walk on March 29.

He was the hero in the March 23 win at Georgia State. Abshire had his first career multi-home run game, hitting a solo blast in the fourth inning, which sparked a five-run inning, and then clubbed the go-ahead grand slam in the top of the ninth inning in the 13-10 win to finish with two hits and five RBIs. He also had two hits, a double and a home run, with three RBIs, two walks, two runs scored and a stolen base at Stephen F. Austin on Feb. 28.

He played in 35 games with 28 starts last season, slashing .287/.388/.402 with four doubles, two home runs, 14 RBIs, 12 runs scored and 12 walks in 2023. He hit a grand slam among six RBIs vs. Alcorn on May 3 and had five multi-hit games.

HAGGARD REMAINS STEADY ON THE CORNERS
ULM sophomore Jake Haggard returns to the Warhawk lineup after serving as a starter at third and first base in 2023. He has started all 29 games to open 2024, and has reached base safely in 26 of those games. After starting the first 23 games of the season at third base, he has started the last six games at first base after an injury to Michelle Artzberger. Haggard made 36 of his 38 starts last season at first base after Artzberger suffered a season-ending injury.

He had two hits, including a 2-RBI single and a double, on Wednesday night at Northwestern State.

Haggard had an eight-game Sun Belt Conference hitting streak broken up in the March 30 series finale vs. No. 19 Coastal Carolina. He was the only Warhawk to hit safely in all three games of the weekend series vs. Troy, including a 2-RBI double in the second game of the March 16 doubleheader. He leads the team with 29 RBIs and is second on the club with five home runs. He is slashing .257/.339/.465 with 26 hits, six doubles, 17 runs scored, 12 walks and two stolen bases. All five of his home runs came in the first 13 games of the season. He has not hit a home run in the last 15 games.

He hit a bases-clearing double on March 10 vs. Alabama A&M and had two hits with an RBI and a run scored on March 8 vs. the Bulldogs. In the March 5 midweek at Little Rock, picked up two hits, including an RBI double and a solo home run, his fifth of the season, while adding two runs scored. He hit his fourth homer of the season, a leadoff home run in the eighth inning against UIW on March 2. 

Haggard had two hits with a 2-run home run and a run scored at Stephen F. Austin on Feb. 28. He tallied two hits, including a double and home run, with two RBIs and a run scored at Northwestern State on Feb. 27. He hit a bases-clearing double in the Feb. 24 win over Murray State. He hit his first home run of the season, a 2-run shot, against Grambling on Feb. 20.

Haggard, from West Palm Beach, Florida, started 36 of the last 38 games of 2023 at first base following an injury to Artzberger. Overall on the season, he slashed .256/.355/.391 with 40 hits, four doubles, one triple, five home runs, 24 RBIs, 26 runs scored and 23 walks. He had five of his 10 multi-hit games after April 25.

JOHNSON TAKES OVER AT SECOND BASE
Hasani Johnson has come on strong over the last 23 games. He made pinch running appearances in three games before he got a chance to step to the plate in the finale of the Murray State series on Feb. 25 as a pinch hitter, finishing the game with two hits, including a double, with a walk and a run scored. He has started the next 22 games and is hitting .262 (17-for-65) with six doubles, two home runs, eight RBIs, 17 runs scored, nine walks and three stolen bases. He hit a solo home run to spark a four-run third inning for ULM on March 26 at Louisiana Tech.

He had two hits, picking up a double, with a walk and two runs scored at Northwestern State on Feb. 27. He had two more hits, including another double, with an RBI and two runs scored at Stephen F. Austin on Feb. 28. He added a hit with an RBI vs. UIW on March 1. He closed the series vs. UIW with three hits, including a double and a 2-run home run while scoring three times on March 3. 

A sophomore from Elk Grove, California, Johnson played his freshman season at Mission College in Santa Clara, California, slashing .299/.438/.368 with 43 hits, five doubles, one triple, one home run, 24 RBIs, 44 runs scored and 29 stolen bases.

EXPERIENCED PITCHING STAFF
ULM's 2024 pitching staff features four sixth-year seniors, two fifth-year seniors and three fourth-year seniors. The Warhawks had no seniors on the pitching staff in 2023 and just two seniors on the entire roster. 

The sixth-year senior group features left-hander Cam Barlow and righties Trey Lindsay, Carson Orton and Steve Owings. 

Barlow is ULM's all-time leader with 48 career starts, making 14 starts in 2023, going 3-6 with a 5.88 ERA over a team-high 64 1/3 innings pitched, allowing 48 runs, 42 earned, on 72 hits with 24 walks and 49 strikeouts. He has been a part of ULM's weekend rotation since his red-shirt freshman campaign in 2020. He has thrown 234 2/3 innings in his career, which is the eighth-most innings in ULM history. He has 205 career strikeouts, good for ninth in ULM history. He became the 10th pitcher in ULM history to record 200 career strikeouts with his second strikeout vs. No. 19 Coastal Carolina on Thursday. He made his first career relief appearance on Feb. 20 vs. Grambling, allowing two runs on one hit with one strikeout in an inning of work. He threw 4 1/3 hitless innings against Murray State on Feb. 24, posting four strikeouts. He returned to a starting role against CCU, throwing a team season-high five innings, allowing one run on five hits with one walk and seven strikeouts for his first win of the season. He has made eight appearances with three starts, allowing 12 runs on 18 hits with 23 strikeouts and eight walks in 2024. He is 1-1 with a 4.98 ERA.

Lindsay returned to the mound in 2023 after missing the 2022 season due to an injury, making just seven appearances with an 0-1 record and 6.43 ERA over seven innings, allowing six runs, five earned, on seven hits with five walks and six strikeotus. Lindsay was a lock-down reliever in 2021, going 2-2 with a 3.18 ERA over 45 1/3 innings with 33 strikeouts to 14 walks. In 2024, he has made 11 appearances with a 1-1 record and 10.67 ERA over 14 1/3 innings, allowing 18 runs, 17 earned, on 21 hits with 14 strikeouts and 11 walks. He tossed two shutout innings vs. Grambling on Feb. 20 with two strikeouts and one walk. He pitched a scoreless inning with one strikeout and one walk at Stephen F. Austin on Feb. 28. He followed it up with three scoreless innings, allowing one hit with one strikeout and one walk vs. UIW on March 3 before throwing another scoreless inning with a strikeout on March 9 vs. Alabama A&M. He made a scoreless appearance in the second game of the March 16 doubleheader vs. Troy, allowing one hit with one walk and one strikeout.

Orton, nicknamed "Giggles" by his teammates, is tied for the most career relief appearances in ULM history with 79, which matches Michael Durham (1999-2003). He is third in ULM history with 18 career saves and fourth in ULM history with 79 total pitching appearances. He is two appearances away from tying Durham for the third-most pitching appearances in ULM history and needs four more appearances to tie Jared Jennings (2005-08) and Caleb McConnell (2000-03) for the most pitching appearances in program history. In 2024, he has made 12 appearances with a 3-1 record and 5.14 ERA over 14 innings, allowing eight runs on 16 hits with 16 strikeouts and seven walks. He opened 2024 by allowing one run on one hit with three strikeouts and no walks over two innings on Feb. 18 vs. Missouri State. He earned his first win of the season, throwing 1 2/3 innings with two hits, three strikeouts and one walk on Feb. 24 vs. Murray State. He picked up his second win by throwing the final 1 1/3 innings vs. UIW on March 1, with two strikeouts and one walk. He pitched a perfect inning vs. Alabama A&M with a strikeout on March 9. He threw another perfect inning in the second game of the March 16 doubleheader vs. Troy with one strikeout. He notched his third win of the season with one inning against Georgia State on March 23, allowing one run on two hits with one strikeout and one walk. He tossed a scoreless inning with one hit at Louisiana Tech on March 26. He followed it up with a scoreless inning with a walk and a strikeout vs. No. 19 Coastal Carolina on March 29. He made 20 appearances in 2023, going 4-5 with three saves and a 5.51 ERA over 32 2/3 innings, allowing 28 runs, 20 earned, on 32 hits with 28 strikeouts to 17 walks. He picked up nine saves as a third-year freshman in 2021, which ranks third-most in a single season in ULM history. He added six saves as a sophomore in 2022. 

Owings returned to the mound in 2023 after missing the 2022 season due to an injury, making 13 appearances, going 0-2 while throwing 15 innings, allowing 26 runs, 24 earned, on 35 hits with 14 strikeouts to five walks. After playing two seasons at Northern Oklahoma College-Enid, Owings came to ULM where he made nine appearances with four starts as a sophomore in 2021. His final four appearances that season were starts, going 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA over 15 innings with 11 strikeouts to six walks in his starts. He made his 2024 debut, allowing two runs on two hits with one walk and one strikeout in one inning vs. Murray State on Feb. 25.

The fifth-year seniors are right-hander Dalton Burrell and left-hander Parker Seay.

Burrell is in his second season at ULM after pitching three seasons at LSU Eunice. The Bossier City, Louisiana, native made 16 appearances out of the bullpen in 2023, posting a 4.18 ERA in 23 2/3 innings, giving up 17 runs, 11 earned, on 32 hits with 18 strikeouts and eight walks. He made nine scoreless appearances. In 2024, he has eight appearances with no record and a 6.30 ERA over 10 innings, allowing seven runs on nine hits with 10 strikeouts and 11 walks. He threw 1 1/3 innings on Feb. 17 vs. Missouri State, allowing one run on one hit with no strikeouts and two walks. He pitched a perfect inning with three strikeouts at Little Rock on March 5. He threw a scoreless inning with one hit, one strikeout and one walk on March 8 vs. Alabama A&M. He worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings with one hit and one strikeout on March 19 vs. Central Arkansas. He pitched a perfect inning with two strikeouts at Northwestern State on Wednesday.

Seay is in his first year at ULM after transferring from South Florida. He made nine relief appearances for the Bulls last year, covering 7 1/3 innings. He pitched three seasons at the College of Central Florida, where he helped the Patriots reach the NJCAA Division I World Series and pick up a school-record 47 wins. He had 46 strikeouts in 32 innings as a sophomore in 2022. In 2024, he is 2-1 with a save and a 4.20 ERA in 10 appearances covering 15 innings, allowing eight runs, seven earned, on 11 hits with 22 strikeouts and five walks. He earned the win on Feb. 18, firing 2/3 of an inning with one strikeout vs. Missouri State. His second win came on March 9 vs. Alabama A&M, throwing two shutout innings with four strikeouts and one walk. He made his first career NCAA Division I start on Feb. 25 vs. Murray State, allowing four runs, three earned, on four hits with five strikeouts and two walks over 2 1/3 innings. He pitched 2 2/3 innings out of the bullpen on March 2 vs. UIW, allowing one run on two hits with three strikeouts and one walk. He threw 1 2/3 shutout innings with one hit, three strikeouts and one walk in the first game of the March 16 doubleheader vs. Troy. He earned his first career save by striking out the final two batters of the game in last Saturday's win in the first game of a doubleheader at Georgia State. He worked around a leadoff double to throw a scoreless inning at Louisiana Tech on March 26. Seay struck out the side on Wednesday in his only inning of work at Northwestern State.

The fourth-year senior group includes right-hander Beau Blanchard and left-handers Hollis Huff and Chipper Menard.

Blanchard joins ULM for the 2024 season after pitching the last three seasons at New Orleans. Last season, he made 17 appearances with four starts for the Privateers, throwing 31 innings with 30 strikeouts. He has made two weekend starts, allowing three runs on three hits with six strikeouts and two walks over six innings. In 2024, he has made 10 appearances and six starts with a 1-2 record and 5.62 ERA over 24 innings, allowing 15 runs on 21 hits with 18 strikeouts and nine walks. He started the Feb. 17 game vs. Missouri State, pitching three innings, allowing two runs on one hit with three strikeouts and two walks. On Feb. 23 vs. Murray State, he threw three innings, allowing one run on two hits with three strikeouts and no walks. He made his first relief appearance at ULM on Feb. 27 vs. Northwestern State, throwing a scoreless inning with one hit and two strikeouts. He came out of the bullpen with the restart of the March 1 suspended game on March 2 vs. UIW, throwing three innings, allowing one run on three hits with two strikeouts and one walk. He made the start vs. Alabama A&M on March 9, firing three innings, allowing one run on three hits with two strikeouts. Blanchard earned his first win at ULM in the first game of the March 16 doubleheader vs. Troy, throwing 3 1/3 innings, allowing one run on one hit with one strikeout and four walks.

Huff is in his second season at ULM in 2024 after pitching two seasons for Barton Community College in Great Bend, Kansas. He moved between the bullpen and starting rotation in 2023, making 13 appearances with 10 starts, going 1-4 with a 7.23 ERA over 42 1/3 innings, allowing 35 runs, 34 earned, on 46 hits with 31 strikeouts to 24 walks. He has made four appearances in 2024 with three starts, posting a 4.26 ERA over 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on four hits with seven strikeouts to five walks. He pitched 2 2/3 innings, giving up one run with no hits, four strikeouts and one walk on Feb. 17 vs. Missouri State. He started the Feb. 24 game vs. Murray State, but exited after one inning due to injury. He allowed no runs on two hits with one walk vs. the Racers. He returned to the mound with the start in the second game of the doubleheader vs. Troy on March 16, throwing a perfect inning with one strikeout.

Menard is in his second season at ULM in 2024 and also moved between the rotation and bullpen in 2023. He made 14 appearances with 10 starts, going 2-6 with one save and a 6.96 ERA over 54 1/3 innings, allowing 49 runs, 42 earned, on 59 hits with 58 strikeouts to 28 walks. He pitched his first two seasons for the Ragin' Cajuns. This season, Menard is 0-2 with a 5.06 ERA over 21 1/3 innings in nine appearances and one start, allowing 13 runs, 12 earned, on 15 hits with 22 strikeouts and 11 walks. In his 2024 debut on Feb. 16, he threw four innings out of the bullpen, allowing four runs on four hits with five strikeouts and no walks vs. Missouri State. He threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit with five strikeouts and three walks vs. Murray State on Feb. 23. He pitched a scoreless inning with two hits and one strikeout at Northwestern State on Feb. 27. He fired two scoreless innings with five strikeouts vs. Alabama A&M on March 8. He finished out the first game of the March 16 doubleheader vs. Troy, throwing the final two shutout innings with two strikeouts and one walk. He made his first start of 2024 against No. 19 Coastal Carolina on Saturday, throwing 4 1/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts in suffering a tough-luck loss.

LOCAL CONNECTIONS
The 2024 ULM baseball roster includes six players who played high school baseball inside Ouachita (wah-shuh-tah) Parish. The roster includes three players from Sterlington High School in junior right-handed pitcher Brandon Brewer, sophomore right-handed pitcher Seaver Sheets and sophomore left-handed pitcher Adam Tubbs; and one player each from West Monroe High School senior infielder Carson Jones, Ouachita High School in junior right-handed pitcher Zach Shaw and Ouachita Christian School in sophomore catcher Barham White.