Baseball

No. 8 UL Monroe Eliminates No. 5 WKU

MOBILE, Ala. - UL Monroe survived and advanced in the first of two elimination games on day two of the 2014 Sun Belt Conference Baseball Championship at Stanky Field in Mobile, Ala., as the eighth-seeded Warhawks defeated fifth-seeded WKU, 8-6 on Thursday.

ULM (23-35) scored eight runs in the first five innings and received a complete game effort from starting pitcher Alex Hermeling. Hermeling is the first Warhawk pitcher to record a complete game since Shelby Aulds recorded a complete game against Arkansas State on April 21, 2013.

WKU (29-28) was able to score six runs on eight hits but a season-high four errors aided ULM’s fast start. WKU cut ULM’s four-run lead in half with a two-run rally in the top of the eighth inning but it was too little, too late for the Hilltoppers as the Warhawks’ hot start was enough to pull out the win in the elimination game.

“These kids have been through a lot this year. Collectively, we have hung together and it has really showed up at the tournament," said ULM head coach Bruce Peddie.

ULM will take on the loser of Game 7 between No. 1 UL Lafayette and No. 4 Texas State on Friday at 3:00 p.m. CT.

The Warhawks jumped on top early scoring three runs on three hits and a Hilltopper error in the bottom of the first inning. WKU starter Jake Thompson walked shortstop Kodie Tidwell and surrendered back-to-back singles to Keelin Rasch and Dalton Herrington to load the bases. First baseman Ross Moore sent a sac fly deep to center to score Tidwell and Rasch crossed the plate courtesy of a throwing error. Outfielder Justin Stawychny capped ULM’s opening inning with a RBI single to score Herrington.

Second baseman Jeff Fuller extended the Warhawks’ advantage to 4-0 in the second with an RBI single up the middle to plate catcher Chet Simoneaux, who led off the frame with a triple.

The Hilltoppers committed two more errors and ULM received RBI singles from Moore and Simoneaux in the fifth inning to lengthen the Warhawks’ lead to 8-4. WKU finished the game with a season-high four errors, three of which came in ULM’s multi-run innings. Moore had just one hit but led the Warhawks with three RBI and he also scored one run. Herrington, meanwhile, had three hits and he scored three runs.