From ULM Sports Information
YOUNGSVILLE, La. – The ULM Softball team shut out and run ruled two teams on the second day of the Mardi Gras Mambo at the Youngsville Sports Complex on Saturday, Feb. 22. ULM compiled 16 runs, 17 hits and no errors to take their first three-game winning streak since 2018.
“I’m excited,” head coach Molly Fichtner said. “I think we saw all aspects of our game work and when you throw shutouts, you’re going to win every single game and we came out and threw two great shutouts.”
Game 1: ULM 8, Abilene Christian 0 (6 Innings)
The Warhawks (6-7) waited until the top of the third inning to strike first. Sophomore Kennedy Page singled to second and then stole from first to second before advancing to third on a throwing error. Sophomore Korie Kreps brought Page home with a single to give ULM a 1-0 lead.
Abilene Christian (3-9) had an opportunity in the bottom of the third to tie things up when they had runners on both second and third, but an acrobatic catch by freshman Jacelyn Buck to force the third out stopped the Wildcats’ advance in their tracks.
In the top of the fourth, the Warhawks scored two more runs to increase their lead. Senior Ana Hogan doubled to left field and freshman Kelsey Giddens walked. Buck singled to center field and Hogan rounded home from second. Giddens slowly worked her way to third and a bunt from Junior Alysia Anderson brought Giddens across the plate. ULM held a 3-0 lead.
Two more runs came across the plate in the top of the fifth after Kreps singled on a line drive down the middle and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Senior Jayden Mount singled down the third base line and advanced on a throwing error to bring Kreps home. Moments later, Hogan reached second on an error that allowed Mount to give the Warhawks a 5-0 lead.
Senior Jessie Watts singled to right field during the top of the sixth to bring Anderson and Page home and Mount executed a sac bunt to bring Kreps home. That gave ULM an 8-0 lead and enough to call the game. Abilene Christian had one last chance to score but couldn’t and the Warhawks held on for the six-inning win.
“Our hitters did their job today,” Fichtner said. “One of the things we were missing last weekend was execution and that’s what we’ve worked a lot on this week.”
Kreps went 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs and a RBI. Seven other ULM players scored a hit during the game while Watts and Mount accounted for a total of four RBIs. Buck and Anderson gained an RBI apiece while Page scored two runs. Mount, Hogan, Giddens and Anderson accounted for the other four runs scored.
Sophomore Murphy Williams (2-1) picked up her second win of the season and pitched a complete game. She gave up five hits, struck out three batters and issued two walks. Alivia Sinnott (2-4) picked up the loss for the Wildcats and pitched 5 1/3 innings. Sinnott gave up eight runs, six earned, on eight hits and struck out three batters while issuing four walks.
Game 2: ULM 8, Incarnate Word 0 (5 Innings)
Junior pitcher Amber Coons (3-1) had herself a day and picked up her third win of the season while pitching a complete game and only giving up one hit. Her bid for a no-hitter was broken up in the top of the fifth inning.
“There’s a lot more excitement in the dugout this season and we have people in the circle that want the ball,” Fichtner said. “It fuels everybody on the team.”
The Warhawks scored one run in each of the first three innings. In the bottom of the first, Mount reached on a fielder’s choice and stole to second. She advanced to third on a throwing error and came home on another throwing error. Incarnate Word (6-7) committed three of its four errors in the first inning.
Sophomore Jessica Williams walked and then advanced to second on a wild pitch in the bottom of the second. A bunt by Giddens brought Williams home from second. ULM held a 2-0 lead.
The Warhawks took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third when Watts singled and advanced on an error. Hogan singled on a line drive up the middle and advanced on the throw that brought Watts home.
The gates were blown open in the bottom of the fourth when ULM scored five runs to seal the five-inning win. Giddens scored from second when Page got to second on a fielder’s choice. Kreps singled to bring Page home and Kreps passed home plate on a passed ball. Hogan hit another double to center field to bring Watts and Mount home. ULM left the fourth inning with an 8-0 lead. Three outs later, the Warhawks had the victory.
Watts and Hogan both went 2-for-3 at the plate. Watts had two runs while Hogan had four RBIs. Giddens went 2-for-2 with one run and one RBI. Sophomore Kennedy Johnson and Kreps both picked up hits while Kreps added another run and RBI to her totals. Mount, Williams and Page combined for four runs.
Annie Gunther (1-4) gained her fourth loss of the season with 3 2/3 innings pitched. She gave up eight runs, six earned, on seven hits and struck out one batter and issued three walks.
“We play two really good teams tomorrow and they’re going to come out guns blazing,” Fichtner said. “We have our work cut out for us in the morning.”
ULM will wrap up the Mardi Gras Mambo on Sunday, Feb. 23, with a matchup against Nicholls State at noon followed by a showdown with Southeastern at 2 p.m.
YOUNGSVILLE, La. – The ULM Softball team shut out and run ruled two teams on the second day of the Mardi Gras Mambo at the Youngsville Sports Complex on Saturday, Feb. 22. ULM compiled 16 runs, 17 hits and no errors to take their first three-game winning streak since 2018.
“I’m excited,” head coach Molly Fichtner said. “I think we saw all aspects of our game work and when you throw shutouts, you’re going to win every single game and we came out and threw two great shutouts.”
Game 1: ULM 8, Abilene Christian 0 (6 Innings)
The Warhawks (6-7) waited until the top of the third inning to strike first. Sophomore Kennedy Page singled to second and then stole from first to second before advancing to third on a throwing error. Sophomore Korie Kreps brought Page home with a single to give ULM a 1-0 lead.
Abilene Christian (3-9) had an opportunity in the bottom of the third to tie things up when they had runners on both second and third, but an acrobatic catch by freshman Jacelyn Buck to force the third out stopped the Wildcats’ advance in their tracks.
In the top of the fourth, the Warhawks scored two more runs to increase their lead. Senior Ana Hogan doubled to left field and freshman Kelsey Giddens walked. Buck singled to center field and Hogan rounded home from second. Giddens slowly worked her way to third and a bunt from Junior Alysia Anderson brought Giddens across the plate. ULM held a 3-0 lead.
Two more runs came across the plate in the top of the fifth after Kreps singled on a line drive down the middle and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Senior Jayden Mount singled down the third base line and advanced on a throwing error to bring Kreps home. Moments later, Hogan reached second on an error that allowed Mount to give the Warhawks a 5-0 lead.
Senior Jessie Watts singled to right field during the top of the sixth to bring Anderson and Page home and Mount executed a sac bunt to bring Kreps home. That gave ULM an 8-0 lead and enough to call the game. Abilene Christian had one last chance to score but couldn’t and the Warhawks held on for the six-inning win.
“Our hitters did their job today,” Fichtner said. “One of the things we were missing last weekend was execution and that’s what we’ve worked a lot on this week.”
Kreps went 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs and a RBI. Seven other ULM players scored a hit during the game while Watts and Mount accounted for a total of four RBIs. Buck and Anderson gained an RBI apiece while Page scored two runs. Mount, Hogan, Giddens and Anderson accounted for the other four runs scored.
Sophomore Murphy Williams (2-1) picked up her second win of the season and pitched a complete game. She gave up five hits, struck out three batters and issued two walks. Alivia Sinnott (2-4) picked up the loss for the Wildcats and pitched 5 1/3 innings. Sinnott gave up eight runs, six earned, on eight hits and struck out three batters while issuing four walks.
Game 2: ULM 8, Incarnate Word 0 (5 Innings)
Junior pitcher Amber Coons (3-1) had herself a day and picked up her third win of the season while pitching a complete game and only giving up one hit. Her bid for a no-hitter was broken up in the top of the fifth inning.
“There’s a lot more excitement in the dugout this season and we have people in the circle that want the ball,” Fichtner said. “It fuels everybody on the team.”
The Warhawks scored one run in each of the first three innings. In the bottom of the first, Mount reached on a fielder’s choice and stole to second. She advanced to third on a throwing error and came home on another throwing error. Incarnate Word (6-7) committed three of its four errors in the first inning.
Sophomore Jessica Williams walked and then advanced to second on a wild pitch in the bottom of the second. A bunt by Giddens brought Williams home from second. ULM held a 2-0 lead.
The Warhawks took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third when Watts singled and advanced on an error. Hogan singled on a line drive up the middle and advanced on the throw that brought Watts home.
The gates were blown open in the bottom of the fourth when ULM scored five runs to seal the five-inning win. Giddens scored from second when Page got to second on a fielder’s choice. Kreps singled to bring Page home and Kreps passed home plate on a passed ball. Hogan hit another double to center field to bring Watts and Mount home. ULM left the fourth inning with an 8-0 lead. Three outs later, the Warhawks had the victory.
Watts and Hogan both went 2-for-3 at the plate. Watts had two runs while Hogan had four RBIs. Giddens went 2-for-2 with one run and one RBI. Sophomore Kennedy Johnson and Kreps both picked up hits while Kreps added another run and RBI to her totals. Mount, Williams and Page combined for four runs.
Annie Gunther (1-4) gained her fourth loss of the season with 3 2/3 innings pitched. She gave up eight runs, six earned, on seven hits and struck out one batter and issued three walks.
“We play two really good teams tomorrow and they’re going to come out guns blazing,” Fichtner said. “We have our work cut out for us in the morning.”
ULM will wrap up the Mardi Gras Mambo on Sunday, Feb. 23, with a matchup against Nicholls State at noon followed by a showdown with Southeastern at 2 p.m.
