THE LEAD
DBU opened the 2017 campaign with an 8-3 loss to Louisiana-Monroe on Friday night at Horner Ballpark. Warhawks' right fielder Johnny DeLaCruz hit 2-for-4 in the game with four RBI, including a bases-clearing double in the top of the ninth that put the game out of reach.
 
Anthony Herrera (1-0) earned the win for ULM after throwing 1 2/3 innings of relief, striking out two and allowing one run on two hits. Travis Stone (0-1) suffered the loss for the Patriots after giving up five runs in the final frame and walking four.
 
After striking out Nathan Reynolds to start the game, starting pitcher Jordan Martinson gave up a solo shot to Anthony Herrera, but then forced two fly outs to end the opening frame. In the bottom of the first, DBU evened the score after Devlin Granberg got on base on a two-out walk and scored via an error by Reynolds on a Matt Duce pop up. The third inning began with a double off the bat of Casey Oliver and a Reynolds single before both advanced on a sac bunt by Herrera. ULM regained the lead at 3-1 on back-to-back RBI singles by Turner Francis and Johnny DeLaCruz. Martinson finished with four strikeouts and three runs on six hits in four innings.
 
DBU cut into the Warhawk lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, loading the bases on back-to-back walks to Ryan Millard and Logan Sepanek. With Camden Duzenack at the plate, Leone tossed a wild-pitch, allowing Jordan Hand to score. Ray Gaither came in for relief of Martinson in the top of the fifth, striking out three in three innings of hitless relief before handing the torch to Travis Stone. The Patriots clawed back to a tie ballgame again in the bottom of the eighth inning on back-to-back doubles by Duce and Austin Listi.
 
However, ULM exploded for 5 unearned runs in the top of the ninth after Stone walked three to load the bases with one out. Nathan Reynolds grounded a full-count pitch to Stone, who fumbled the ball, allowing Chad Bell to come home. A fourth walk for Stone, issued to Turner Francis, brought in Oliver to extend the lead to 5-3 before DeLaCruz emptied the bases on a double to deep left-center.
 
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
 - In his collegiate debut, Ray Gaither threw 41 pitches in three scoreless, and kept ULM hitless innings with three strikeouts.
 - ULM starter Josh Leone tossed a first pitch strike to 13 of 14 DBU batters through the first three innings.
 - The Opening Day loss snaps a three-game win streak on Opening Day for the Patriots. 

COACH DAN HEEFNER – ON THE PATRIOTS HITTING VS. ULM PITCHING
"Their starter came out and did a good job through the first three innings and then we were able to get his pitch count up a bit in the fourth.  I thought the freshman left-hander they brought in did a really good job and was tough to pick up.  Their closer has been good for them for three years now and he showed that tonight. I thought Listi did a great job against him in the eighth and did exactly what he needed to with his double that tied the game."

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
5 – The Warhawks scored five runs with two outs.
3 – All three DBU hits were doubles.
6 - The Patriots stranded six on base.
 
UP NEXT
DBU and ULM play the second game of the opening series at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday at Horner Ballpark. Trevor Conn takes the mound for the Patriots against Keegan Curtis for the Warhawks.