Stephen F. Austin
Louisiana-Monroe
Warhawks Knock Off SFA
3/23/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 23, 2011
MONROE, La. - ULM pounded out 12 hits Wednesday in five-inning 11-2 win over Stephen F. Austin. The Warhawk victory avenges an earlier loss to the Ladyjacks when SFA took a 10-3 verdict in the first meeting.
That game featured an eight-run first inning for SFA. Wednesday, the Warhawks jumped out to an early lead with five runs in the second inning. The Ladyjacks fall to 8-22 on the year, while ULM improves to 16-13.
Amber Price went 3-for-3 with a home run to pace SFA, but the rest of the Ladyjack lineup combined for just two more hits.
The Warhawks put a run up in the bottom of the first without recording a base hit. Brianna Love led off with a walk then stole second. She moved to third and then scored on two straight ground-outs to the right side.
ULM then got all the hits it would need in the bottom of the second. The Warhawks started the inning with four straight base knocks, the fourth being a two-run double by Elise West. ULM then got an RBI single from Miyuki Navarrete, followed by a two-run homer by Love. That ran SFA starter Angela White from the circle in favor of Carlie Thomas. The freshman escaped the inning without further harm but ULM had a 6-0 lead.
SFA got a run back in the top of the third when Cadie Weaver was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, forcing Lacy Liles home from third. Liles had led off the inning with a single. The Ladyjacks would end the inning on a fly ball in the next at-bat, leaving the bases loaded.
The Warhawks widened their lead with four more runs on five hits in the third. An RBI double by Regina Ayala and a two-run double with the bases loaded by Jessica Olguin brought the first three runs around. Roxy Cassel drove in the fourth run with a base knock to left field, but Bethany Brown threw Olguin out from left to end the inning with ULM ahead, 10-1.
The Warhawks would add one more run in the fourth when Ayala scored on an error after hitting a one-out triple. SFA got on the board in the top of the fifth on Price's home run, but the game was called on run-rule after that.
White (0-2) took the loss after working 1.1 innings. She was charged with six earned runs on six hits and a walk. Thomas went 2.2 innings in relief, giving up four earned runs on six hits and two walks. She recorded two strikeouts.
SFA will not play again until Tuesday, March 29, when the Ladyjacks open a six-game home stand with a doubleheader against Baylor. First pitch against the Bears is scheduled for 3 p.m.
-- SFA --
