An early 6-run inning by ULM in the third game of the series against in-state opponent Nicholls set the precedent for a shutout 5-inning win.
The Warhawks (16-6) started the series with a late 4-3 win over the Colonels (12-10). ULM and Nicholls didn’t warm up until the third inning, picking up a run each.
The Colonels took the lead after Molly VandenBout nailed a home run for the team’s first at-bat of the inning. Claire Sisco extended the lead to two runs in the sixth inning with a single by teammate Alexa Poche.
The Warhawks rallied to reclaim the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Carys Platt, Andie Edwards, and Taylor Broddick each scored a run to give the Warhawks a 4-3 lead. The Colonels failed to score a run at the top of the seventh and closed out the first game.
The Warhawks scored early in the second game, earning four runs in the first inning to seal the victory from the start. Nicholls responded at the top of the second with three runs.
After a fiery first inning, ULM struggled to score again as ground balls and easy pop-flies plagued the offense. The Warhawks couldn’t stop the bleeding either, as the Colonels picked up two additional runs in the fourth and seventh innings to take the lead and the game.
Game three began 30 minutes after game two, and the Warhawks started things off with a masterclass in batting.
After a double play kept the Colonels scoreless at the top of the first, Meagan Brown’s single drew up two RBIs. Lourdes Bacon and Platt scored off the single as Brown advanced to second base from the throw. Jacelyn Buck singled to get Brown to third as Edwards crossed home plate for another run. Kelsey Giddens’ single brought Brown home, and later, an RBI by Broddick led Buck to earn a run. Bacon sacrificed a ball out to center field to bring Brooklin Lippert across the plate for a first inning score of 6-0.
The Warhawks continued to produce a run every inning, keeping the Colonels away from home plate. Maryssa Zenzen’s triple in the bottom of the second allowed Buck and Edwards to score, but a quick out one hit later stooped another potential scoring run.
Edwards sacrificed a ball out to center field in the third inning as Bacon reached third base and Broddick to home plate.
The fourth-inning accent mark came about off a home run by Giddons. With Bristin Bordeau on second, the Warhawks earned two runs off the homer. Later in the inning, Platt bunted the ball to advance runners. Broddick crossed the plate before Bacon got out, aiming to reach third base.
Nicholls recorded hits in the top of the fifth. Unfortunately for the Colonels, easy outs from pop-flies and swing-and-a-miss at-bats couldn’t get them out of their 12-0 hole, and the Warhawks earned a 5-inning run-rule victory.
