Warhawks snap skid, run-rule Jackson State in 8th innings, 13-2

MONROE, La. – Ryan Cupit’s two-RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning closed out ULM’s victory and ended the Warhawks’ eight-game losing streak with a 13-2 win in run-rule fashion over Jackson State Wednesday night at Warhawk Field.

Cupit’s hit capped a three-run eighth inning, the fourth time ULM (16-31-1 overall) scored multiple runs in an inning on the night.

Nine different Warhawks had at least one RBI on the night as ULM racked up 12 hits and took advantage of 10 walks and two hit batters. ULM had four sacrifice flies and two RBIs on groundouts.

Jackson State (23-25) scored in the top of the first inning as Ty Hill hit an RBI single to plate Caleb Evans. Hill finished with three hits on the game to pace JSU.

ULM responded in the bottom of the first as Mason Holt’s RBI double scored Cupit, Austin Beech’s RBI groundout brought home Holt and Landon Cato’s sacrifice fly plated Grant Schulz for the 3-1 advantage.

JSU pulled within a run in the fourth inning. The Tigers put runners on first and third with one out. Jack Engelmann entered from the bullpen and proceeded to give up an RBI on a fielder’s choice to Asher Akridge and got Omar Gomez to ground out to limit the damage as JSU made it 3-2.

Again, the Warhawks responded in the bottom of the inning. Holt was hit by a pitch with two outs and stole second base, setting up Schulz’s RBI single for the 4-2 lead.

ULM started to pull away in the fifth inning. Colby Deaville walked for the third time to leadoff the inning and Cato followed with a single, advancing to second on an error. Matthew Lee and Carson Jones hit back-to-back sacrifice flies to extend the lead to 6-2.

The Warhawks poured it on in the sixth inning. After Cupit and Holt led off with walks, Schulz singled to load the bases. Beech hit an RBI groundout, Deaville connected for a sacrifice fly, Cato picked up a two-out RBI single and Lee added a two-out RBI double to push the lead to 10-2.

ULM put an end to the game by run-rule in the eighth as Cole Stromboe earned his first career RBI with a bases-loaded walk ahead of Cupit’s game-winning hit.

Schulz and Cato had three hits each, while Cupit, Beech, Cato and Lee each had two RBIs.

Engelmann (1-0) earned his first win as a Warhawk, throwing 2 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, allowing just one hit with no strikeouts and two walks. Wyatt Blalock threw two scoreless innings for his first save, giving up a hit with one strikeout. JSU starter Juan Marulanda (6-7) took the loss, allowing four runs on five hits with one strikeout and three walks over 3 2/3 innings.

The Warhawks return to Sun Belt Conference play at 6:30 p.m. Friday at South Alabama.