MONROE, La. | South Alabama fell behind early and chipped away at the lead for the final six innings, falling short to ULM 7-6 in Sun Belt Conference (SBC) action on Friday night at Lou St. Amant Field.
ULM (14-20, 4-8 SBC) used a six-run third inning to open a 6-1 lead before South Alabama chipped away at the lead with runs in the fourth, eighth, and three in the fifth inning. The Jags used home runs from
Tyler Borges,
Will Turner, and
Joseph Sullivan on the night to chip away at the lead.
Erick Orbeta led the Jags at the plate going 3-for-5 including a double. Borges finished the game 2-for-4 for South Alabama (15-18, 5-8 Sun Belt) including a solo home run, while Turner finished with three RBI.
Sam Knowlton (2-2) started for the Jags before leaving to start the fourth for reliever
Danny Diaz. Knowlton gave up six runs (all earned) on five hits with three strikeouts, while also walking a pair. Diaz went into the sixth before giving way to
Matthew DeLano, working two-plus innings, and allowed just one run on one hit with a pair of strikeouts.
DeLano worked the final 3.0 innings for the Jags, allowing just one hit and recording three strikeouts.
How It Happened
- (T1) Trey Lewis reached on an infield error with two outs in the inning to score JG Bell from second after a double, South Alabama 1-0.
- (B3) Kade Dupont singled to right on a hit-and-run to score Jayson Zmejkoski from second with one out in the inning. Shawn Weatherbee doubled to right center to score a pair of runs in Carson Jones and Dupont. The Warhawks continued to put runs on the board with a three-run home run by Cardell Thibodeaux with two outs in the inning, ULM 6-1.
- (T4) Tyler Borges hit his first career home run with one out in the inning to get the Jags back on the board, ULM 6-2.
- (T5) Will Turner crushed his ninth home run (390 feet) of the season with a three-run shot with one out in the inning down the right field line scoring Diego Altamirano and Erick Orbeta, ULM 6-5.
- (B6) Riley Davis hit his fourth home run of the season to left center, ULM 7-5.
- (T8) Joseph Sullivan hit his eighth home run of the season to lead off the inning, ULM, 7-6.
Up Next
The two teams meet in the second game of the series on Saturday afternoon at Lou St. Amant Field with first pitch scheduled for 2 pm.
Quotable, head coach Mark Calvi
The game got away in the third, but the guys were able to fight back …
"We outhit them tonight, we gave them seven free runners – really eight, but it was intentional. We left guys on again in scoring position tonight, we had our chances. You just can't give away seven free passes where a solo home run turns into a three-run home run, that's what happened tonight. Free passes, and we had our chances offensively. Although we got nine hits, we didn't necessarily get the big hit when we needed it with two or three men on base. That's what hurt us. I thought their bullpen was really good, I thought DeLano and Diaz came in and did their job. Their guys matched up out of the pen."
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Have a chance to even the series tomorrow …
"We have a chance to even the series. Everyone wants to win on Friday night, we have lost before and come back and won the series. Tomorrow is the most important game, midnight we will think about it, move on, and adjust for tomorrow."
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