MONROE, La. – The ULM Warhawks (29-18, 11-4 Sun Belt) picked up the sweep over App State (24-16, 4-11 Sun Belt) at the ULM Softball Complex in a 2-1 score across 10 innings on Sunday. The Warhawks recorded nine hits and scored two runs, stranding nine on base. The Mountaineers were held to just four hits, scoring one run in the first inning.
With one out in the opening frame, App State's Grace Barrett launched a home run down left field, giving the visitors their first score of the series. Another landed on base from an error, but a strikeout and a ground-out to pitcher
Skylar Waggoner prevented additional runs. While
Carys Platt reached on an error in the bottom, a double play preventing the tying run. The Warhawk defense had App State going three-up, three-down in the second before ULM got a chance at the offense.
Hollie Thomas knocked back her second triple of the series–and of her career–to get in scoring position,
Olivia Faggard tying the game with an RBI single.
A lead-off single was followed by a walk in the third, a sacrifice bunt advancing both runners into scoring position with one out on the board. An out, including a strikeout from Waggoner, kept the runners at bay with the game tied. ULM went 1-2-3 in the bottom, sending the game knotted in the fourth. Another single was hit to lead off the Mountaineers, but three-straight outs left the runner on and brought up the Warhawks. Two singles landed runners in the fourth, but three foul-outs kept the score 1-1.
A 1-2-3 fifth inning for ULM's defense allowed for the lead-off single from
Brooklin Lippert. But three outs shut down the inning in the defensive duel to send the contest to the sixth. Three-straight outs in the top of sixth brought another chance to the Warhawk offense. Thomas doubled down the line, but was unable to score before the end of the frame. After keeping the visitors scoreless in a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the seventh, ULM could not walk it off, sending the game to extras.
Another quick top frame in the eighth allowed for two Warhawks to land on base, first an error to get
Meagan Brown on, then a single for
Morgan Brown. A double play dashed the walk-off hopes, sending the game to the ninth. A lead-off single for App State brought the momentum swinging in favor of the Mountaineers, but two ground-outs closed things out to prevent the game-winner. While another single for ULM landed a runner on base, the Mountaineer defense kept her at first to send the game to the 10
th.
A strikeout ended the three-up, three-down inning for App State, setting up another chance to walk it off for ULM. Back-to-back walks landed two runners on base, a sacrifice hit advancing both into scoring position. It was
Morgan Brown with one out who hit the game-winning double, scoring the second run for the 2-1 victory.
Hollie Thomas (3-for-4) hit a single, a double and a triple to collect three hits on the day, continuing her hit streak with 11.
Morgan Brown and
Maryssa Zenzen each also recorded multi-hit games with two apiece.
Olivia Faggard crossed 16 putouts at first base to tie the single-game record for ULM. Faggard joined
Brooklin Lippert and
Elle Carter to steal the team's three bases.
Skylar Waggoner was the arm of the day with a career-high 10 innings pitched, allowing just one run and one walk, striking out four to close out the game.
ULM improves to 11-4 in Sun Belt play with the win, sweeping the Mountaineers for the first time since 2017. The Warhawks also collect their fourth-consecutive Sun Belt series win, last occurring in 2001 when in the Southland Conference. The two consecutive shutouts against App State also mark the first back-to-back shutouts over a conference opponent since 2002.
The Warhawks will next hit the road on April 17, traveling to face Georgia State in Atlanta. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT / 6 p.m. ET.
