MONROE, La. -- ULM trailed 1-0 after three complete innings, but the Warhawks scored the final nine runs of Sunday's contest en route to the three-game sweep of visiting Sam Houston State.
After trading zeros through the first two frames, the Bearkats (5-7) plated its lone run of the game at Travis Lee doubled home Miles Manning with one out in the third.
ULM (6-3) took the lead and never relinquished it with a pair of runs in the home half of the fourth. Both of the runs by ULM were unearned as Nathan Pugh scored when Josh Faciane struck out swinging on a passed ball by Bearkat starter Logan Boyd. Later in the inning, Kodie Tidwell drew a bases loaded walk as Danny Springer scored to put ULM in front, 2-1.
An inning later, the Warhawks scratched one run across when Springer drove home Stockton with a sacrifice fly to center. ULM broke the game open with four runs in the bottom of the sixth to push the lead to 7-1. Tidwell, Rasch, Jacob Stockton and Justin Stawychy all scored for ULM in the big inning that saw ULM's lead expand to six runs.
ULM added a pair of runs in the eighth to set the final tally at 9-1. Justin Crouch drove in Vincent Dellocono with a RBI double and he later came in to score thanks to a single and error when Will Daniels entered as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the eighth.
Starting pitcher Trey Setzer (1-0) earned his first win as a Warhawk after logging six strong innings in the series finale. The left-hander allowed just one earned run on three hits and one walk while fanning a career-high nine batters. Earlier this season, against Indiana State, Setzer struck out a then career-best eight batters.
After allowing the RBI double in the third inning, Setzer retired 11 of the final 12 batters he faced. A lead-off walk in the sixth ended his streak of eight straight retired batters. Anthony Herrera and Josh Leone closed out the game, pitching the final three innings, allowing just three hits while striking out five.
Rasch led the Warhawks at the plate as he tallied three hits (two doubles) with one run. Pugh also tallied a mult-hit effort with two hits (one double) and one run scored.
Sam Houston State's Boyd dropped to 1-1 on the season after allowing two unearned runs on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts in four innings on the hill.
For updates throughout the season on the baseball squad, be sure to follow the team on Twitter @ULM_BSB.
#PeddiePostGame
“Setzer has done well for us all year except for one hiccup last weekend. He pitched great for us today and we expect that out of him. We still have a few things to work on, specifically increasing our efficiency when we load the bases.”
#WarhawkNotables
-ULM picked up its first three-game series sweep since taking all three games from UALR last season in Monroe (Mar. 28-30, 2014).
-Trey Setzer earned his first win as a Warhawk with his quality start on Sunday… He struck out a career-best nine batters in six innings of work.
-Justin Crouch logged his first hit as a Warhawk while Will Daniels picked up his first career hit… The pair entered the game as pinch hitters in the bottom of the eighth.
-ULM wrapped up its season-opening nine game homestand Sunday… The Warhawks are scheduled to play next four on the road (at Northwestern State; at Texas State [3]).
-ULM now leads the all-time series over Sam Houston State, 37-35.
#NextGame
ULM will travel to Natchitoches, La., for a Tuesday night contest at Northwestern State. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m.
