Warhawks Eliminate UT Arlington in First Round of Sun Belt Championship

SAN MARCOS, TEXAS – The Wahawks (29-20) scored six runs in the second inning on their way to a 6-1 victory over UT Arlington (27-28) in the 2015 Sun Belt Conference Tournament at Bobcat Softball Stadium on Wednesday.

Senior Alexis Cacioppo went 1-for-3 on the outing knocking a two-RBI double in the second inning while scoring a run for the Warhawks. Cacioppo is now just two RBIs shy of the third place in the ULM career record book.

Junior Faith Bohack went 2-for-3 on the outing with one run scored and picking up two RBI. Bohack broke ULM’s single-season RBI of 46 set by Casey Goodman in 2003. Bohack now has 48 RBI on the season.

Sophomore Melanie Coyne dealt an outstanding game as she went seven complete innings only allowing a single run off four hits. Coyne issued only three walks and struck out two Maverick batters. The sophomore moves to 12-13 on the season as she allowed only two hits through the first six innings.

Sam Montes picked up the loss for the Mavericks to move to 14-14 on the year.

After a scoreless first, the Warhawks opened the second inning with back-to-back singles from junior Faith Bohack and senior Molly Mackey. Junior Amye Barre followed with ULM’s third-straight single in the inning on a fly near the right field line to drive home Bohack and put the Warhawks up 1-0. Montes picked up a strike out for the first out in the second for the Mavericks, but senior Mackenzie Miller loaded the bases by beating out an infield single to first base.

Sophomore Rochelle Roberts knocked a two-out, infield single to shortstop to drive home Mackey and push the lead to 2. Cacioppo followed with a double to left field to drive home two runs to give the Warhawks a 4-0 lead. Sophomore Vanessa Garcia was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Bohack. Bohack knocked a single down the left field line to drive home two runs and break ULM’s single-season RBI record, putting the Warhawks on top 6-0 through two innings.

After issuing a two-out walk in the first inning, sophomore Melanie Coyne retired seven straight Mavericks before UT Arlington led off the fourth inning with a single up the middle, but the Warhawks answered by retiring the side.

The Mavericks battled in the seventh inning to score one run on two hits as Kacey Everett recorded one of her two hits to score Britnea Barilli who had reached on a walk. Nina Villanueva and Mallory Foster each recorded a hit for the Mavericks. UT Arlington's season comes to an end.

UL Monroe advances to Wednesday's finale where they will play No. 3 seed and host of the tournament Texas State. That elimination game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT at Bobcat Softball Stadium. The winner of that contest will move into the double-elimination portion of the tournament on Thursday with a game against No. 2 South Alabama.