Warhawks Bite Back

After game 2 was rained out on Saturday, the two teams were back at it today. The Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks defeated the LaTech Bulldogs 10-9 at J.C. Love Field this afternoon.

With severe thunderstorms in the area, ULM and LaTech were forced to cancel Saturday's matchup in Monroe. Friday the bulldogs defeated Louisiana-Monroe 3-2 when the winning run was balked in by the Warhawks. Today the two teams returned to the baseball diamond to wrap up the shortened series.

The bulldogs would strike first when lead off hitter Adam Cobb lifted a fly ball into the gusty winds and it carried over the left field wall for a 1-0 lead. ULM starter Keith Christensen would be able to get out of the inning with no further damage.

For the first three innings the ULM hitters struggled to get anyting going against Louisiana Tech starter Ryan Rupert. That would all change in the top half of the 4th inning. Junior A.J. Siggers would rip a line drive three run homer over the right field fence. Earlier in the inning, Travis Drader drove in Bo Bowman with a RBI single.

Trailing 4-1 going into the bottom of the 4th, LaTech would start to chip away at the ULM lead. Again it was Center fielder Adam Cobb doing the damage. Cobb singled right up the middle to score 2 of his teamates and cutting the ULM lead to 4-3.

Moving along to the 6th inning, the fireworks would begin for both teams. The Warhawks would plate 4 more runs in their half of the inning to take a commanding 8-3 lead. It seemed though that the bulldogs always had an answer. Shortstop Dennis Winn would led off the inning with a solo shot over the center field wall. Later in the inning Junior Brian Rike would hit a 2 run HR over the right field fence making the score 8-6 ULM.

ULM would plate one run in the top of the 7th inning, giving the Warhawks a 3 run lead 9-6. In the bottom of the 8th, LaTech would hit 2 more home runs and score on an RBI single tying the game at 9. In the top of the 9th, Senior Andy Jones would be the hero when he beat out an infield single scoring pinch runner Brent Smith. ULM would seal the deal when relief pitcher David Mixon retired the bulldog hitters in order preserving the 10-9 victory.

The I-20 rivals are tied 1-1 in head to head matchups this season with two to come, both in Monroe. Saturday's rain out day has been rescheduled, and the two teams will play each other on May 16, and 18th. ULM will return to the field this Tuesday at 6:30 against the Cowboys of McNeese State.