By Drew Parsley, Louisiana Tech Associate Director Strategic Communications
MONROE — Louisiana Tech (23-14) fell to the ULM Warhawks (19-19), 8-3, at Lou St. Amant Field Tuesday night.
With the contest shaping out to be a defensive contest through the first two innings, the Warhawks jumped out in front to a 5-0 lead in the third. After a one-out fielding error to put a runner on base, ULM hit a triple and a double in consecutive at-bats to strike first with a 2-0 lead.
After a mound visit, a second-straight double was hit to extend the Warhawks’ lead to three before a groundout and a third double would put ULM up four runs. Louisiana Tech then made a pitching change followed by a base hit on the first pitch thrown to cap off the five-run frame for the home team.
ULM tacked on another run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly, yet the inning came to a close immediately after the run crossed the plate as the runner on first was thrown out by Garrison Berkley from right field trying to advance to second.
The Warhawks had runners on first and second with two outs in the fifth when a triple was ripped down the right field line to extend ULM’s lead to eight and make it a much tougher hill for the Bulldog offense to climb. LA Tech showed some life in the sixth with Zeb Ruddell leading off with a walk and Eli Berch blasting his fourth home run of the year to put the ‘Dogs on the board and cut the deficit to six.
ULM was only able to record two more hits for the remainder of the game, leaving both runners stranded on base. The ‘Dogs attempted a ninth-inning rally with Michael Ballard leading off for a double to left before Sebastian Mexico drove him in with a base knock to right, but a pair of strikeouts and a flyout ended the game.
Mexico picked up his fourth three-hit game of the season and 12th multi-hit performance. Ballard collected his 11th multi-hit game and Eli Berch his sixth multi-RBI game. Connor Nationand Nate Crider were effective in shutting down ULM’s bats in the final third of the game, each allowing a hit and fanning a pair of batters.
The Bulldogs return to Conference USA play when they open a three-game series with Liberty on Thursday, April 17 at 6 p.m. CT at the Love Shack before facing the Warhawks at home on Wednesday, April 23 at 6 p.m. CT to close out the three-game season series.