Warhawks down Bulldogs, 8-5

RUSTON – In the second of two midseason matchups with the ULM Warhawks, Louisiana Tech could not overcome a big fifth inning showing from the visitors and, despite a timely Ethan Bates grand slam late in the game, fell 8-5 on Wednesday night at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.

ULM (13-20) opened the game with a deep foul ball that stealthily masqueraded as a home run, causing much discussion between umpires and coaches before being ruled foul. Despite avoiding giving up a leadoff HR, LA Tech (16-18) would let a Warhawk double score a runner to make it a 1-0 game in the first inning.

A Will Safford double and Logan McLeod single would net the home team a run in the bottom of the third, keeping the contest locked for the fourth inning before the game took a turn.

Bulldog starter Rawley Hector was the first of many (ten, in fact) Tech pitchers that would take the mound, creating a shuffle of hurlers nearly every inning. ULM would also send a barrage of pitchers to the bump, totaling nine for the game.

Despite shutout innings from the likes of Tanner Knight, Caden Copeland, Greg Martinez, Ryan Harland, and Nick Fraginals early and late in the game, it was the midgame outburst from ULM that would be the deciding segment of the matchup. The Warhawks scored five runs in the fifth and added two more in the sixth, a series of runs that began against Isaac Crabb (0-1) and continued against Jacob Havern, Justin Williams, and Alec Sparks. These scores included a 2-run ULM home run, and the damage was compounded by Tech giving up walks. The Warhawks batted around in the fifth inning.

The Bulldogs made some noise in the bottom of the seventh, keeping things interesting when Bates sent a ball deep into the night, a grand slam shot that scored the likes of McLeod (singled), Dalton Davis (singled), and Brody Drost (walked). The game would get to 8-5 and stay that way.

At this point in the season, head coach Lane Burroughs thinks that consistency and depth are lacking both at the plate and on the field.

“We’re not a very competitive baseball team right now,” Burroughs said. “We don’t strike people out, so we have to run a defense out there that can make plays, and it affects us offensively. Coming into the year, I thought we had more depth than we’ve ever had, and now we have no depth. Guys are injured, guys are hurt and out for the year, and we’re having to play guys that normally, we’d probably make a move, but we can’t.”

The FIU Panthers will visit the Love Shack for a weekend conference series on Friday (6 p.m.), Saturday (2 p.m.), and Sunday (11 a.m.).