Warhawks Defeat Cowboys 9-6

Mid week match up with the McNeese Cowboys goes the Warhawks way 9-6. Warhawks return to action this weekend for three game home stand against the University of Arkansas-Little Rock.

ULM pounded out nine extra-base hits including three home runs in a 9-6 victory at McNeese State Wednesday night at Cowboy Diamond in non-conference action.

The Warhawks (18-8, 10-2 Sun Belt) hit six doubles to go along with the three home runs and scored in five different innings as they improved to 10-3 on the road this season.

Ben Soignier hit his seventh home run of the season and fourth in the past four games in the first, Dexter Fontenot broke a streak of 53 at-bats without a homer with a shot to dead center also in the first and Ryan McMillan hit his fourth of the season in the third.

Scott Stephen (2-0) picked up his second win of the season tossing a scoreless third and fourth innings in relief of ULM starter Devin Pourciau. The ULM bullpen combined to allow just two earned runs over the final seven innings of the game capped off by Derek Wards sixth save of the season, tying him for fifth on the single-season list.

Following Soigniers solo shot, Kyle Suire doubled to left setting up Fontenots two-run shot in the opening frame.

Soignier picked up his second RBI of the night scoring Nick Maragas on a fielders choice extending the Warhawk lead to 4-0 in the second.

The Cowboys (8-19) tied the game with four runs in the bottom of the second. Kanon Broussard had a two-run double down the left field line and Keith Patnode recorded a gimme triple which scored a pair when ULM right fielder Matt Laird slipped on the turf.

After an A.J. Siggers walk, McMillan quickly put the Warhawks back on top with his homer down the left field line.

Soignier scored ULMs seventh run of the game scoring on a dropped fly ball by McNeese State left fielder Josh Cholley. Suire, the beneficiary of the error, advanced all the way to third on the play and later scored on a wild pitch.

Suire led off the Warhawks half of the sixth inning and scored on another Cowboy fielding error pushing the lead out to 9-4.

Jona Conrad (0-4) took the loss allowing eight runs five earned on nine hits through in just four innings of work.

McNeese State added a pair of runs in the seventh inning on a double by Taylor Freeman off of Kyle Smith.

ULM resumes Sun Belt Conference play this weekend hosting UALR (6-19, 2-8) in a three-game set beginning Friday night at 7:00 p.m. on Pack the Park night at Warhawk Field. The Warhawks have won four straight conference games and hold a two-and-a-half-game lead over Troy heading into the weekend.