ULM Softball tops Texas State 10-2 in Run-Rule victory

MONROE, Louisiana – The ULM Softball Team dominated Texas State with a 10-2 victory in six innings Saturday afternoon at the ULM Softball Complex. The Warhawks (20-15, 6-8) tied their Sun Belt Conference season high with 10 runs on 10 hits for their 20^and 2022 win. The 10 points marks the second-highest total scored against the Bobcats (20-17, 6-8) in series history.

“I couldn’t be prouder,” said ULM head coach Molly Fishtner. “We had great tee shots from Victoria (Abrams) and we had clutch hits all day, up and down the lineup. We had quality hitters when the runners were in position to to score. We need to clean up our defense a bit more, but at the end of the day we will get the win and be ready to go tomorrow. We can’t let go.”

Victoria Abram (6-3) pitched the full game, striking out five and allowing two runs and six hits for the win. She blasted her way out of a goal-laden jam in the second with one strikeout and one strikeout as Texas State left nine blocked in six innings.

On the plate, Kennedy Johnson went 3-for-4 for four RBIs on two doubles and a home run. Three Warhawks, Alexis Chavez, Lourdes bacon and Korie Kreps each scored two points in the game. Chavez, who had two doubles and two RBIs, and Bacon each went 2-for-3. Korie Kreps went 1 for 2 with two RBIs and a walk.

Bobcat Designated Player Caitlyn Rogers crossed the plate for Texas State’s first inning after the Bobcats charged in the second inning. Ciara Trahan led the Bobcats’ second inning with a single in the fourth inning after Kylie George’s single followed by an error from Warhawk and a defensive choice put George in scoring position.

The Warhawks responded to the Bobcats’ first inning with one of their own late in the second. Lourdes bacon started with a double and stole third base before heading home on a Kennedy Page on the ground.

ULM’s bats lit up with two outs in the fourth inning. After Kennedy Page walked and flew the second, Alexis Chavez hit a double RBI to left center to give the Warhawks a 2-1 lead. Korie Kreps chose the right field line to tackle Chavez and Johnson hit his third homer of the season for a 5-2 ULM lead.

In the fifth inning, Warhawk’s bats were still hot as ULM scored four more runs. Lourdes bacon started the inning with a single and scored after Page doubled with two outs. Page went third on a field error by Bobcat and came home when Chavez hit his second double of the day. Kreps was given a four-length walk and Kreps and Chavez scored on a brace from Johnson for a 9-2 Warhawk advantage.

The Warhawks finished the game with one run and two left on base, after Andie Edwards marked the 10^and run in the sixth inning. Edwards was hit by a pitch and Bacon walked. Both advanced a base on land and Kendall Morton earned her first RBI of the season as she led Edwards for the win at 10-2.

Karsen Pierce took the loss (4-4) for the Bobcats, responsible for three earned runs in 3.2 innings pitched. Presley Glende faced eight batters and allowed four hits and four earned runs. Kaitlyn Dutton finished the game with two runs scored in her two-thirds inning appearance.

The last time ULM beat Texas State twice in the same season was in 2015 when the Warhawks beat the Bobcats 7-4 in Game 2 of a two-game series and then won. 3-0 in a Sun Belt Conference championship game in May 2015. After a seven-year hiatus from play from 2007 to 2014, ULM last won two games in a state series of Texas in 2006 when the Warhawks won three consecutive games in a four-game home-and-away series.

The series finale between ULM and Texas State is scheduled for Sunday, April 10 at noon CT. The link for live statistics is available on the softball schedule page on ULMWarhawks.com.