Stephen F. Austin
Louisiana-Monroe
Big First Inning Fuels Win Over Warhawks
3/9/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 9, 2011
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Ladyjack softball team scored eight runs in the first inning and freshman Carlie Thomas went the distance as SFA picked up a 10-3 win over ULM in a non-conference game on Wednesday at SFA Field.
Cadie Weaver delivered a two-run single in the first and added her first home run of the season with a two-out solo shot in the fourth to pace the SFA (5-18) offense that saw six hitters pick up at least one hit. Freshman Charlotte Singleton also picked up hits in her first two at-bats, including a hit off the fence in the first inning that drove in a pair of runs and nearly got out for a grand slam.
SFA sent 13 hitters to the plate in the first inning against a pair of ULM (11-10) hurlers, including starter Tiffany Mills, who took the loss after allowing seven of the eight runs. The Ladyjacks delivered with five hits in the inning, but were also aided by a pair of Warhawk errors that led to four unearned runs. Weaver and Singleton's hits quickly gave the Ladyjacks a comfortable 4-0 lead and drove Mills from the game for ULM. But Heather Fritz couldn't stop the bleeding just yet either for ULM, issuing a bases-loaded walk to Bethany Brown to bring in another run before three more scored on a throwing error on shortstop Janel Salanoa to give the Ladyjacks an 8-0 lead after one at-bat.
That was plenty for Thomas, who allowed three runs in earning her fourth win of the year, striking out four on the afternoon. The Warhawks got a pair of runs in the second and one more in the third, but was able to pitch out of jams in both the fourth and fifth before retiring the final eight ULM hitters of the day.
She got a little more help from Weaver's bomb in the fourth and on another ULM error in the fifth that allowed SFA to get its 10th run home of the day, which stands as its biggest offensive output of the season to date.
The Ladyjacks continue Southland Conference play this weekend when they host UTSA in a three-game series beginning Saturday at SFA Field.
-SFA-
