ULM’s softball team continues its season with a six-game tournament win streak and promising numbers for the Sun Belt Conference. The Warhawks (8-7 overall) began the spring season struggling in games against opponents such as Lamar and Houston. However, the players pulled themselves together to beat down Jackson State and hold their winning streak against the Panthers strong.
The Warhawks met Jackson State (9-2) on the field Feb. 18 for an intense first game of the week. ULM scored 3 points in the bottom of the first inning, holding that lead until Jackson State’s batter singled in the top of the third. The Warhawks took that personally, scoring an additional 6 points in the fourth inning, leading by 8. Three strikes in the fifth, and the Tigers were out, ending the game and beginning ULM’s newest win streak.
Stephen F. Austin pulled up to the field on Feb. 20 and Feb. 21 but walked away with two losses and a damaged ego. ULM won the first game in an average seven innings. By the end of the sixth, the Warhawks led by 7, SFA struggling to grab more than 3 points before its eventual defeat. A 12-8 win lead the Warhawks into their second game. ULM cracked down on defense and refused the Ladyjacks any leeway until the seventh once more. This quick 6-3 win boosted the team to their next game against Houston Christian only an hour later.
Tired, sweaty and determined, ULM scored twice in the first and held its ground. The Huskies struggled to score until the third, only managing to score once. The Warhawks matched that point, only to follow up with 8 more in the fourth. A double by redshirt junior infielder Reece Briggs gave the Warhawks 3 points alone, scaring HCU into walking Meagan Brown, a sophomore outfielder. A double by freshman catcher Hollie Thomas led Meagan and redshirt freshman infielder Morgan Brown to home base, bringing the scoreboard to nine. The Huskies tried to recover with 3 points in the fifth, but their efforts were ineffective. While HCU recovered from its 12-4 loss, ULM readied for their next match.
The following day, Eastern Illinois pulled up for another Warhawk showdown. Apparently, no one informed the Panthers of the week ULM was having. The Panthers did not score a single point—though they made the Warhawks work for their 2. A clever triple by senior utility Carys Platt in the fifth inning earned the first point of the game. Sophomore infielder Elle Carter doubled in the sixth, and with no activity from the Panthers, ULM walked away from the mound with yet another win.
The Huskies could not handle their schooling from earlier in the week and returned after ULM beat Eastern Illinois. Unfortunately for them, the Warhawks seemed to only ramp up in power, scoring 6 points in the first. A home run by Thompson scored 3 of the 6 points. HCU seemed to understand its opponent for the first time, putting up significant defense for the next few innings. ULM only powered through and scored 3 points in the fourth, ending the game in five innings with a 9-0 box score.
