JONESBORO, Ark. (3-21-2008) ? Arkansas State (11-9, 4-3) junior Chase Ware gave up just two hits and one earned run through eight innings, but a three-base throwing error by ASU in the top of the ninth allowed the go-ahead run to score, and the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (13-5, 6-1) tacked on another run later in the inning for a 3-1 victory over the Indians Friday night at Tomlinson Stadium and Kell Field.
With the win, ULM took a 1-0 advantage in the weekend Sun Belt Conference series and stayed on top of the league standings.
Ware (3-1) finished the night with eight strikeouts, and shut down the Sun Belt's second-best hitting team going into the weekend. Ware gave up a solo home run to junior Ryan McMillan in the second for ULM's only earned run of the night.
“Chase was tremendous,” said ASU Head Coach Keith Kessinger. “He's a big-time pitcher. ULM is a great offensive team and Chase came out and was effective the entire night.”
“As good as Chase was it was a shame,” Kessinger said about the ninth-inning error. “It's one thing to walk a guy, then bunt him over and make them get a base hit, but because of the throwing error, it was not what had to happen.”
Warhawk hurler Jared Jennings (2-2) earned the win for ULM, giving up one run on six hits with a pair of walks and five strikeouts.
Arkansas State's lone run came in the fourth when senior Ryan Hudgins led off the frame for the Tribe with a solo shot over the left field wall.
The 1-1 tie held until the top of the ninth when junior Jon Prevost walked, then scored when junior Ben Soignier's sacrifice bunt resulted in the throwing error that advanced Soignier to third. Soignier scored on a sacrifice fly from senior Dexter Fontenot for the 3-1 Warhawk advantage.
Arkansas State loaded the bases in the ninth when junior Lawson Hipps singled, freshman Murray Watts doubled and junior Derrick Coleman walked, but with two outs on the board a strikeout ended the game.
Hudgins led the Tribe at the plate, going 3-for-5 while McMillan and Soignier had ULM's only two hits on the night.
The Indians and Warhawks will resume the series Saturday at 6 p.m.
