Dexter Fontenot hit two home runs and ULM roughed up
Sun Belt Preseason Pitcher of the Year Danny Farquhar as the Warhawks
blasted Louisiana-Lafayette 15-6 Saturday afternoon at Tigue Field to
even the conference series at a game apiece.
Fontenot, a native a nearby Gonzales, La., hit a home run in Friday's
series opener and drove in a career-high seven runs on Saturday
playing in front of nearly 30 family and friends. He finished the game
4-for-5 and came within five feet of hitting his third homer of the
game, which would have been a grand slam, in the top of the ninth.
The Warhawks (21-12, 13-4 Sun Belt) touched up Farquhar for a
career-high eight runs in just 3.2 innings. It is the second straight
game that ULM has battered Ragin Cajuns (17-16, 8-9) pitching. Last
night ULM scored a season-high six runs on Preseason All-Conference
and Sun Belt ERA leader Hunter Moody in five innings.
After Farquhar struck out the first two batters of the fourth inning,
he hit ULM designated hitter Jon Prevost in the head and then hit Ben Soignier in the elbow. Kyle Suire drew a walk setting up a bases
loaded situation for Fontenot.
The Warhawks hot hitter of the weekend doubled to left field clearing
the bases.
ULM'0s next batter A.J. Siggers drew a walk and Ryan McMillan laced a
double down the line in left scoring both Fontenot and Siggers pushing
the lead out to 9-4. McMillan finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs and
Siggers was 2-for-5 with three runs scored.
Through the first two games of the series the Warhawks have scored 25
runs and pounded out 26 hits against Louisiana-Lafayette who entered
the week leading the Sun Belt in ERA (4.61) and batting average
against (.266) ULM is hitting .342 in the series.
Nick Maragas kept the pressure on leading off the fifth inning with a
double off the wall in right center. Matt Laird singled to put runners
on the corners and Soignier scored Maragas with a fielders choice to
short.
Fontenot then took a 2-0 fastball off Cajun reliever Gregory Harmon
over the wall in left field for a three-run blast extending the lead
out to 13-4. His first home run of the game gave the Warhawks a 3-1
lead in the third inning taking a Farquhar fastball of the scoreboard
in left field.
This is the fifth time this season that a ULM player has two home runs
in a game, with all five coming in Sun Belt Conference play.
After taking a hard-luck loss in the opener, ULM closer Derek Ward
(4-1) threw the final five innings of the game allowing just two hits
and striking out six. He picked up his fourth win of the season and
third in Sun Belt play.
Ward entered the game in relief of Drew Graham in the fifth inning.
Graham went four innings allowing six runs ? three earned scattering
five hits and striking out four.
Farquar (3-5) took the loss and the ULL bullpen gave up seven runs
six earned on eight hits over the final 5.1 innings.
The teams play the rubber game of the series tomorrow afternoon at
1:00 p.m. The Warhawks will send Josh Lett (5-1, 3.32) to the mound
while the Cajuns counter with Michael Cook (4-2, 4.50).