Big first inning pushes Georgia Southern to sweep of ULM, 7-1

STATESBORO, Ga. – The first four Georgia Southern batters that stepped to the plate scored and the Eagles never looked back in a 7-1 win over ULM Sunday afternoon at J.I. Clements Stadium, completing a weekend sweep.

Georgia Southern’s (17-13 overall, 7-5 Sun Belt Conference) Stephen Curry opened the inning by reaching on a throwing error on ULM (11-17, 3-9) shortstop Michael Cervantes. Mason McWhorter followed with a single to center and advanced to third on a throwing error by centerfielder Mason Holt, which allowed Curry to score. After Christian Avant hit an RBI double down the right field line, Noah Ledford connected for a 2-run home run to left, putting the Eagles up 4-0 and chasing Warhawk starting pitcher Tyler Lien (3-1) from the game.

“I’m extremely disappointed,” ULM head coach Michael Federico said. “We’ve got to be able to make plays behind our pitching staff. Our defense has to know that. Tyler Lien is a strike thrower. He’s going to give up some hits, but typically it’s some soft-contact ground balls. We’ve got to be able to make the first play of the game. Mistakes are going to happen. We’re going to make errors and all that. It goes back to being mentally tough right there, and I don’t think we showed up and were mentally tough. That’s what I’m really disappointed with our guys.”

Curry added an RBI single in the second inning, but the Warhawk bullpen limited Georgia Southern’s scoring opportunities the rest of the way. Lucas Wepf, Carson Orton and Trey Lindsay combined to throw 7 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, giving up two runs on 10 hits with six strikeouts and two walks. Reid Goleman surrendered a 2-run homer to Curry in the eighth inning before Bryson Wrobel recorded the final out of the inning.

ULM did not have many scoring chances, either, as Georgia Southern’s Jordan Jackson (2-4) threw seven innings, allowing one run on seven hits with five strikeouts, giving up a solo home run to Wiley Cleland to lead off the eighth inning before exiting the game. Ryan Humeniuk (3-for-3) and Britt McKay (2-for-3) combined for five of ULM’s nine hits. The Warhawks loaded the bases in the ninth inning but were unable to score.

“We had 29 hits in three games and we only scored five runs,” Federico said. “That’s not much of an offensive approach. We’ve got to find ways to score runs. We didn’t do that. That’s what it came down to, overall, for the weekend.”

Curry, Ledford and Noah Searcy had two hits apiece for Georgia Southern.

ULM will play seven of the next eight games at home, starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday vs. Jackson State. Links to live audio and stats are available at ULMWarhawks.com.