STATESBORO, Ga. – The ULM Warhawks (24-17, 7-3 Sun Belt) claimed the first game of the conference series against Georgia Southern (16-19, 4-6 Sun Belt) in a 5-2 score in Statesboro. Both teams stranded seven runners as the Warhawks capitalized on five runs from nine hits.
With two outs quickly found in the opening frame,
Morgan Brown hit her fifth home run of the season to get ULM ahead, 1-0. Two fly-outs helped keep the home team scoreless in the first. A lead-off single by
Olivia Faggard in the second brought up
Elle Carter, who reached third base on an error. Faggard crossed home in the process for the 2-0 score. An opening strikeout in the bottom of the second from
Ashanti McDade kept the momentum with the Warhawks. Though two singles got runners on base, a fly-out ended the inning and stranded the Eagles.
In the first scoreless inning for ULM, a walk and a single placed two runners on with two outs, the third out captured before the lead was extended. McDade then turned around and struck out two to quickly get through the 1-2-3 inning.
Kelsey Kovar hit a lead-off double in the fourth, Carter following suit to score the third run of the game. A single kept runners on base,
Meagan Brown singling to score the fourth run.
Morgan Brown then singled,
Carson Jansky crossing home before the third out was captured to settle the 5-0 score in the middle of the fourth.
The Eagles would not go away quietly, as a walk set up an Emma Davis double, cutting the edge to four runs. A ground-out then scored the second run as the score was set at 5-2 through four innings. Back-to-back walks landed two Warhawks on base, but the third out prevented the lead extension. On the other side, it was back-to-back singles and a hit by pitch loading the bases, McDade holding strong with the defense to get out of the jam.
A 1-2-3 inning in the top of the sixth brought another opportunity for Georgia Southern. After a strikeout from McDade and a single to land a runner on, Carley Ramsden grounded into a double play, ULM's 16
th of the season, to get out of the frame. While another single landed one on base in the top of the seventh, three outs sent the game to the bottom of the seventh, the Eagles working to force a comeback and a walk-off.
A single landed one on base early, but
Skylar Waggoner entered the circle in relief for McDade, who caught a batter swinging. A walk landing runners on the corners brought up leading hitter Delanie Thames. But Waggoner struck her out to end the inning and secure the first win in the series.
Both
Morgan Brown (2-of-3) and
Olivia Faggard (2-of-4) saw multi-hit games with two apiece,
Elle Carter recording two RBIs. Faggard led the defense at first base with 10 putouts and no errors, ULM's 22
nd game without an error.
Ashanti McDade (6.0 IP) picked up the win, tying her career high with five strikeouts, walking one and allowing two earned runs.
Skylar Waggoner earned the save, her second of the season, with two strikeouts, no hits and no runs.
ULM extends their win streak to five, improving to 7-3 in Sun Belt play. The Warhawks will continue the series at Georgia Southern on Friday (April 3) at 4 p.m. CT.
