NEW ORLEANS – ULM baseball (2-4) opens the Maestri Classic with a 6-4 loss to Northern Kentucky (2-3) on Friday. Despite outhitting the Norse 9-7, the Warhawks couldn't convert as they hit 1-10 with runners in scoring position.
 
Both teams produced a double in the first inning, but they couldn't score to keep the game scoreless. Marcus Aranda and Dayne Wray both collected hits at the top frame of the second, but two strikeouts ended the scoring threat. Brandt Corley pitched a three-up three-down in the bottom half to follow.
 
With Davis Mauzy and Bryce Blaser on base, Aranda powered his first home run of the season to give the Warhawks a 3-0 lead. The Norse responded in kind at the bottom frame, using two hits, two walks and two Warhawk errors to tie the game. Despite traffic in the fourth for both squads, no change in the score was made going into the fifth.
 
Micah Dean led off the inning with a triple into left field to create immediate pressure in the top of the inning. Jake Haggard produced a sacrifice fly to bring Dean home and give ULM the lead once more. Just like in the third, NKU responded in the frame after, this time grabbing the lead thanks to a Landon Springmeyer two-run homer.
 
The Warhawks again got a pair of singles from Garrett Wiethorn and Dean, but left the two on base as the inning ended. At the bottom of the seventh, Alex Prazer produced a double that went off the wall to score an insurance run to lead by two after seven. A Haggard walk was the only traffic the rest of the way as ULM dropped the first game of the weekend.
 
Aranda finished the day with three hits and three RBI with the third-inning homer. Dean also had himself a multi-hit day.
 
The Warhawks will attempt to get back into the win column tomorrow morning with an 11 a.m. first pitch vs. Alabama A&M.