Warhawks drop heartbreaker, swept by Troy, 13-10, in 11 innings

MONROE, La. – Troy scored five runs in the top of the 11th inning and held off ULM’s rally in the bottom half of the inning for a 13-10 win to sweep the series Sunday afternoon at Warhawk Field.

ULM (10-19-1 overall, 4-7-1 Sun Belt Conference) picked up 14 bases on balls, had two hit batters and stranded 17 runners on base in the loss. The Warhawks had runners on base in every inning except the third.

Troy (21-10, 8-4) scored three runs with two outs in the top of the eighth inning to expand its lead to six, 8-2. Donovan Whibbs hit a double down the left field line to score Rigsby Mosley and Easton Kirk. On the next pitch, Jesse Hall singled on the infield. Whibbs broke for home on the play. Colby Deaville’s throw was on target, but an error at the plate allowed Whibbs to score to extend the lead to 8-2.

ULM started its rally in the bottom of the eighth. Grant Schulz hit an RBI single right to score Carson Jones and Chase DeJean followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Ryan Cupit, cutting the deficit to 8-4.

After Troy was held off the board in the top of the ninth, ULM went back to work. The Warhawks had Michael Cervantes on first base with two outs in the bottom of the ninth when Jones hit a 2-run home run to left, bringing the Warhawks within a pair, 8-6. Mason Holt followed with a walk and Cupit tripled to right-center field to bring in Holt and cut the gap to 8-7. Schulz then hit a ball deep in the hole at shortstop and beat the throw to first base on a slide, allowing Cupit to score and tie the game at 8. After a walk to Caleb Sterling, Deaville struck out to send the game to extra innings.

Zach Shaw worked around a two-on and no-out jam in the top of the 10th to keep the game tied. ULM couldn’t take advantage in the bottom half, as Trace Henry hit a leadoff infield single. After he stole second, Michelle Artzberger struck out on a bunt attempt. A fly ball by Cole Stromboe moved Henry to third with two outs. A pitch to Carson Jones bounced in the turf, sending Henry sprinting home. However, Troy catcher Clay Stearns managed to keep the ball from going all the way to the backstop. He retrieved the ball and tagged out Henry at home to send the game to the 11th inning.

Troy sent nine men to the plate in the top of the 11th. The Trojans regained the lead on Kirk’s RBI single. A wild pitch brought home Kyle Mock to double the lead, 10-8. Stearns then hit a 2-RBI single down the left-field line, extending the lead to 12-8. A sacrifice bunt by Whibbs allowed Hudson Hartsfield to score to cap the five-run inning with a 13-8 lead.

ULM had one last gasp with two outs in the 11th, as a wild pitch allowed Holt to score and Deaville’s RBI single brought home Cupit to make it 13-10. Henry’s line drive to center was caught on a diving catch by Mosley to end the game.

The Warhawks took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. ULM loaded the bases with nobody out before Austin Beech hit an RBI single to right field, scoring Deaville for the 1-0 lead. Matthew Lee grounded into a double play, allowing Chris Noble to score for the 2-0 advantage.

Troy picked up a two-out RBI single from Hall in the third inning, scoring Mosley to cut the gap to 2-1. The Trojans then scored four runs in the fourth inning, with solo homers by Mock and Kirk, an RBI single by Stearns and an RBI triple by Whibbs.

The score held until the eighth inning as Jackie Robinson threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit with two strikeouts and two walks.

ULM had one of its biggest missed opportunities in the bottom of the fifth inning, loading the bases with no outs, but failed to score a run.

Whibbs had three hits and four RBIs to lead Troy, while Schulz had three hits and two RBIs for ULM.

Noah Janney earned the win in relief for Troy, allowing two unearned runs on one hit with two strikeouts and two walks in 1 2/3 innings. Judson Hershiser recorded the last two outs for his first save. Zach Shaw took the loss in relief, throwing two innings with five runs, three earned, on four hits with one strikeout and one walk.

ULM returns to action at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Jackson State.