LAFAYETTE — Davis Mauzy launched a three-run homer with one out in the sixth inning to give ULM a lead it would not relinquish as the Warhawks topped Louisiana, 5-3, in game one of their three-game Sun Belt Conference series on Friday at M. L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park.
The series continues Saturday at 2 p.m., with the game being streamed live on ESPN+. Fans can listen to the game locally on KPEL-FM (96.5) and worldwide on the Varsity Network app. Louisiana (17-9, 2-5 SBC) will send left-hander Andrew Herrmann (3-1, 3.20 ERA) to the mound with ULM (15-12, 5-2 SBC) going with southpaw Brandt Corley (1-1, 6.49 ERA).
Louisiana took a 3-1 lead into the sixth inning, but Kade Dupont got a one-out single off Cajuns starter Sawyer Pruitt (2-2). After a walk to Zach White, freshman Garrett Wiethorn singled to score Dupont and got the Warhawks to within a run.
Mauzy, who had a 25-game hitting streak snapped on Tuesday against Northwestern State, then hit a 2-0 pitch from reliever Cole Flanagan over the left-center field wall that proved to be the difference.
Louisiana manufactured its first run of the night in the third inning when Drew Markle walked, stole second and third, and scored on Blaze Rodriguez’s ground ball. The Ragin’ Cajuns extended the lead to 3-0 in the fourth when Jayce LaCava singled and rode home on Steven Spalitta’s two-run homer to right-center.
ULM got on the board in the fifth when Micah Dean was hit by a pitch with one out, moved to third on Bryce Blaser’s single, and scored on a wild pitch on a strikeout against Jake Haggard.
Freshman Adam Brodnax (2-1) allowed a fifth-inning leadoff single to Rodriguez, who was caught trying to steal before Brodnax and relievers Tyler Roark and Holden Hess held the Cajuns without a hit the rest of the way.
Brodnax departed in the sixth after hitting LaCava with a pitch and issuing a two-out walk to Lee Amadee. Roark retired Rigoberto Hernandez on a fly ball to end the inning. Roark walked LaCava in the eighth and issued back-to-back walks to Hernandez and pinch-hitter Donovan LaSalle with one out before Hess came on to strike out the next two batters for his third save.
Brodnax went 5.2 innings, allowing five hits and three runs to earn the win. He walked two, hit two and struck out four. Pruitt went the first 5.1 innings for Louisiana and was charged with four runs on eight hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Parker Smith, who relieved Flanagan in the sixth, retired the last 10 batters he faced.
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