The ULM baseball team went into the week looking for key wins versus instate rival Louisiana Tech and conference opponent Coastal Carolina. 

The Warhawks held a 4-10 record heading into the week, but they had won three of their last four games.

ULM began and finished their week with a loss, but in the process, they broke a 12-game losing streak to Coastal Carolina for their first-ever win over the Chanticleers.

Their first opponent: the daunting Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. ULM’s rival from Ruston notched a win against second-ranked LSU earlier this season. The Bulldogs also scored 53 runs through their previous four games. 

The game started with a bang for the Bulldogs as they put up five runs in the top of the first inning. This included a Bryce Wilson 2-RBI single to center field and a Logan McLeod sac-fly to right field. Louisiana Tech also scored a run in the third inning with a home run by Walker Burchfield to left field. By the fifth inning, the Bulldogs had built up an 8-1 lead. 

Although the Warhawks would attempt a comeback in the late innings with runs scored in the fifth, seventh and eighth innings, they would still fall short. 

The final score stood was 8-4 in favor of the Bulldogs. 

Henry Shuffler suffered the loss for the Warhawks, with 0.2 innings pitched and five runs allowed. Mason Holt was the top hitter for the Warhawks, going 3-for-5 with an RBI. 

The Warhawks played again Friday with a match up against Coastal Carolina in their Sun Belt Conference opener. 

In the second inning the Warhawks scored two runs with RBIs from Caleb Sterling and Holt. Travis Washburn would hit a home run down the left field line in the fifth inning to put the Warhawks up 3-0. 

Although Coastal Carolina scored two runs off sac-flies in the sixth and eighth innings, ULM would hold on to win the game 3-2. 

“I’m super proud of us doing what we had to do to win,” said ULM head coach Michael Federico. “We found a way to win.”

The game featured four double plays by the ULM defense, and another win by ace pitcher Cam Barlow who threw for 5.2 innings with one run and hit allowed with two strikeouts and six batters walked. Sterling went 2-of-4 at the plate with an RBI in the second inning.

In last Saturday’s game versus the Chanticleers the game started off with a Colby Deaville home run in the top of the second inning to put the Warhawks up 1-0.  

Coastal Carolina responded by going on to score runs in the next four innings, which included a four-run inning in the bottom of the fifth courtesy of a grand slam by Zach Beach.

The Warhawks looked to recover but would go on to lose the game 49-4. Cole Cressend would collect the loss with 4.2 innings pitched allowing six runs. 

ULM has five opportunities next week to pick up wins. Tuesday, they host Jackson State and Wednesday they face off with Stephen F. Austin. 

They cap off a five-game stand at Warhawk Field with a weekend match up against an SBC opponent—the Georgia State Panthers.