NATCHITOCHES, La. – The ULM baseball team hits the road for the first time this season in a midweek at Northwestern State. ULM will face the Demons at 6 p.m. at Brown-Stroud Field on Tuesday (Feb. 17) after splitting a four-game series against Central Arkansas to open the season.
SERIES HISTORY –
The Warhawks will be facing the Demons for the 234th time in program history, a history dating back to 1952. Former Southland Conference foes, the teams have played every season since 1990, with the exclusion of the shortened 2020 season. The series is dead even at 117-117, as Northwestern State claimed the most recent win in Monroe, 9-8, in 2025. ULM has won the last three in Natchitoches, the last victory coming last season in a 5-2 win. The Warhawks also have the edge in the last 10 meetings, holding the 6-4 advantage as of late.
SCOUTING THE DEMONS –
Northwestern State sits at 3-0 on the season after a series sweep of UT Arlington in Natchitoches last weekend. In three games, the Demons hit six home runs and stole three bases, while they held the Mavericks to a .200 batting average on the mound. Brock Davis leads the way with a .500 batting average, Thomas Marsala III leading with two home runs on the season so far. The Demons are one of three Southland teams to remain undefeated after opening weekend, looking to expand in head coach Chris Bertrand's third season at the helm.
LAST TIME OUT –
ULM Baseball split opening weekend with Central Arkansas, going 2-2 across the four games. In the first game, a walk and a hit by pitch got the Warhawks started in the third inning. While the Bears responded in the fourth, an RBI double from Kade Dupont kept ULM with the lead. Two RBI singles from Jackson Landry and Marcus Aranda added onto the advantage, while a Jake Haggard three-run bomb and a sacrifice fly from Dupont secured the 11-2 win. Brandt Corley picked up the win, striking out eight batters in 5.1 innings of work.
In Game 2, the Bears were back with a vengeance, getting to a 8-0 start in the opening four innings. A three-run homer from freshman Sutton Lewis got the Warhawks back in it, Dupont scoring another as ULM clawed back. Central Arkansas tacked on three more in the seventh, but seven runs scored in the seventh had the Warhawks within a score. The UCA defense held on in the final innings, preventing the comeback with a 12-11 win.
Central Arkansas struck first in Game 3, with a single and a double scoring two runs early. But a sacrifice fly from Landry and an RBI ground-out from Jake Griffith got ULM on the board. The Bears then slugged two homers in the seventh, another in the ninth to find the 6-4 victory.
Another high-scoring win for the Warhawks, a first-inning home run for Micah Dean had the Warhawks with an early advantage. Central Arkansas tied it in the second, but three runs were scored by ULM in the bottom of the inning to keep the lead. Lewis then shot another three-run bomb to extend the lead, freshman Dayne Wray following with a home run of his own for the 10-2 win.
LEWIS LAUNCHING BOMBS –
Freshman Sutton Lewis hit two three-run homers this weekend, becoming the only freshman with multiple home runs in the Sun Belt. Lewis, a Monroe native, now leads the team and the league with nine RBI from the four games.
BUILT FORD TOUGH –
ULM head coach Ford Pemberton picked up his first win of the season, an 11-2 victory over Central Arkansas. Pemberton arrives in Monroe after spending two seasons on the Memphis baseball staff as the team's hitting coach and recruiting coordinator. The Bossier City, La., native spent two seasons at Southeastern Louisiana, also spending time at Nicholls (2017-21) and C.E. Byrd High School (2014-16).
HOMETOWN HEROES –
The 2026 ULM baseball roster features eight players who played high school baseball inside Ouachita (wah-shuh-tah) Parish. The roster includes three players from Sterlington High School in freshman infielder Travis Adams, redshirt senior pitcher Seaver Sheets and redshirt senior pitcher Adam Tubbs; one player from Ouachita Christian in sophomore catcher Zach White; one player from West Monroe High School in freshman right-handed pitcher Tyler Roark; and three players from Neville High School in freshman right-handed pitcher Samuel Marsh, junior catcher Drew Jarrelland freshman infielder Sutton Lewis.
LOOKING AHEAD –
The ULM baseball team will remain in southern Louisiana as it enters the weekend, traveling to New Orleans for the Maestri Classic. The tournament will begin with competition against Northern Kentucky on Friday (Feb. 20) at 11 a.m.
