MONROE, La. – The ULM Warhawks (24-21, 10-11 Sun Belt) handily defeated local rival Louisiana Tech (27-19, 14-7 CUSA) in a 16-5, seven-inning contest. Eight of the nine starters in the lineup recorded hits, contributing to the 19-hit game. The Warhawk defense also held the Bulldogs to five runs scored off 10 hits.
While a batter landed on base in the opening frame, Colton Coates grounded into a double play, ULM holding the visitors scoreless. The Warhawks then got to work,
Garrett Wiethorn hitting a lead-off single up the middle.
Micah Dean followed with a single, then stealing second. It was
Bryce Blaser's two-RBI double that scored the first runs of the contest. With no outs recorded,
Marcus Aranda singled to advance Blaser to third. Freshman
Sutton Lewis continued the momentum with a two-RBI double of his own, a walk and a hit-by-pitch loading the bases with two outs. Wiethorn came back up to bat, singling and scoring two more for the six-spot in the first.
Two more Bulldogs were stranded in the second as ULM got another opportunity to drive up the score. Dean singled to lead off, stealing second as a walk and a wild pitch got runners in scoring position. A walk loaded the bases again, a fielder's choice giving
Kade Dupont the RBI. Lewis continued his hot streak with an RBI single as
Davis Mauzy concluded with an RBI single to make the total 9-0 through two innings.
Justin Robinson opened the third with a strikeout, as two more runners were left on base to bring up the hot bats for the Warhawks.
Zach White took his turn leading off with a single, wild pitches and hit-by-pitches getting runners back in scoring position. Blaser drove in two more runs off his second double of the game.
Marcus Aranda then hit ULM's lone homer of the game, his 11
th of the season, to score two more. Dupont was hit and advanced to second off the wild pitch, Lewis recording his third hit as an RBI single made it a 14-0 score.
Two more strikeouts from Robinson kept Louisiana Tech scoreless, escaping the bases-loaded jam. Wiethorn led off with a single yet again, Dean following as the Warhawks looked to add to the tally. Blaser was hit to load the bases yet again, a sacrifice fly giving
Jake Haggard the RBI. Aranda hit an RBI single for the two-spot in the third, leaving the score at 16-0.
The Bulldogs got on the board in the fifth, an RBI single from Eli Berch driving in the first. A wild pitch scored Coates as the visitors cut the deficit to 14. In the first scoreless inning of the contest for ULM, two runners were stranded. Matt Houston helped drive the Bulldog offense in the sixth, hitting his seventh home run of the season to cut the lead to 13. Three more runners were stranded to bring the home team back to the plate. Two more hits came in the sixth, but no additional runs as a double play cut the inning short. Houston then hit a second home run to score two more in the top of the seventh as the Bulldogs cut down to make it an 11-run edge.
Five Warhawks recorded three-hit games in
Garrett Wiethorn,
Micah Dean,
Bryce Blaser,
Marcus Aranda and
Sutton Lewis.
Davis Mauzy also recorded a multi-hit game with two on the day. Both Lewis and Blaser drove in four runs apiece as well.
Seaver Sheets was credited with the win, starting and getting two innings of work in with a strikeout and no runs.
Justin Robinson (2.0 IP) struck out three to lead the pitching staff, while
Cash Dabbs (1.2 IP) also struck out a batter.
Adam Tubbs and
Seth Cooper (1.1 IP) also saw action on the mound.
The Warhawks improve to 24-21 on the season, claiming the clean sweep of the Bulldogs. ULM has now outscored the Bulldogs in a margin of 30-8 this season, winning by a double-digit margin in two consecutive games against Louisiana Tech for the first time in series history. The 19 hits for ULM are the most hits recorded in a game since 2022.
ULM will next hit the road for its next conference series, facing the Southern Miss Golden Eagles in Hattiesburg. First pitch on Friday (May 1) is scheduled for 6 p.m.
