Georgia Southern sweeps ULM
STATESBORO, Ga. – The ULM baseball team dropped a pair of games on Friday to Georgia Southern in the first two games of the three game Sun Belt Conference series.
The two teams will conclude the series on Sunday afternoon with first pitch slated for 1 p.m. ET.
Georgia Southern 4, ULM 2 (DH Game 1)
Georgia Southern took a 3-0 lead after one inning and it sent eight batters to the plate in the frame. Dalton Busby highlighted the frame with a two-RBI single up the middle to give the Eagles the 3-0 advantage. The Eagles, in the bottom of the fourth, pushed the lead to 4-0 as Chase Griffin tallied an RBI single as Cody Lanford scored.
The Warhawks broke through with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fifth as they cut the Eagles’ lead to 4-2. Nathan Pugh led off the inning and reached on a muffed throw by Eagle first baseman Ryan Cleveland. Pugh was able to move into scoring position thanks to a wild pitch by Georgia Southern pitcher Evan Challenger.
ULM put runners on the corners as Jacob Stockton tallied a single to right field. Dalton Todd followed with an RBI single through the right side to put ULM on the scoreboard. Later in the frame, Stockton came around to score as Keelin Rasch tallied a RBI single to left to pull the Warhawks within two runs.
The Warhawks were able to keep the Eagles scoreless after the fourth and the Warhawks threatened in the top of the ninth inning. With two outs in the frame, Todd drew a walk and Anthony Herrera tallied a single to give ULM a pair of base runners. ULM was unable to push any runs across as Georgia Southern earned the victory.
ULM starter Alex Hermeling was tagged with the loss and fell to 3-6 on the season. In seven innings on the mound, the right-hander allowed four runs on five hits and five walks. During his 119-pitch outing he struck out five batters. Logan Dopson and Weston Mason combined to pitch the final frame.
Herrera led the Warhawks with two hits.
Georgia Southern’s Evan Challenger earned the win and improved to 5-0 on the season after surrendering two unearned runs on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Jason Richman was credited with his third save of the season after allowing one hit and two walks with two strikeouts in 2 2-3 innings of relief.
Georgia Southern 4, ULM 3 (F/ 10 inn. – DH Game 2)
In the bottom of the first, ULM starter Trey Setzer recorded a strikeout and a groundout, but the Eagles were able to get two on via an infield single and a walk. Dalton Busby followed with a three-run homer to center field to give Georgia Southern a 3-0 lead after one inning.
After scoreless frames in the second and third, the Warhawks tallied their first run of the contest in the top of the fourth. Nathan Pugh led off the inning with a single to left center and stole second base to move into scoring position. He advanced 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt by Spencer Hemphill and came in to score on a RBI double by Danny Springer to bring the Warhawks within two runs (3-1).
ULM came up just short of tying the game as, with one man on, Springer gave a Ryan Frederick pitch a ride but it was caught at the wall in left to conclude the Warhawk threat in the sixth.
An inning later, the Warhawks did not miss as with two outs, Keelin Rasch connected on his seventh homer of the season. Rasch tallied season RBI number 31 and 32 as Anthony Herrera also scored to even the game at three-all. Later in the inning, the Warhawks put two in scoring position via a walk (Kodie Tidwell) and a double to left center (Justin Stawychny). The Warhawks were unable to push any more runs across as the game remained even at 3-3.
In the bottom of the 10th, the Eagles got a walk-off single by Cody Lanford to claim the 4-3 win.
Anthony Herrera (1-2) was charged with the loss after allowing one run on two hits and two walks in 2/3 innings of work.
Rasch led the Warhawks with three hits, two RBIs and one run.
Chris Brown earned the win in relief as he allowed just one hit in 2 2-3 innings.