STATESBORO - Georgia Southern softball jumped out to a 6-1 lead over the first two innings and held on for a Sun Belt Conference-opening 9-6 win over visiting ULM on Friday evening at Eagle Field.

The Eagles (12-9, 1-0 SBC) captured their Sun Belt opener for the third time since joining the league in 2015, and will go for a third series-opening win against the Warhawks (9-12, 0-1 SBC) on Saturday when the two teams meet at 2 p.m. The third game of the series will be on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

Georgia Southern took advantage of wildness from ULM starter Amber Coons (4-2), who issued three bases-loaded walks in the first inning in a four-run frame for the Eagles. ULM got a run back in the top of the second on a solo home run from Jessica Williams, but the Eagles answered in the bottom of the second on a two-run blast from Faith Shirley.

Jayden Mount's RBI triple sparked a three-run third inning for the Warhawks, making the score 6-4. But Shayla Smith had a two-run blast of her own in the bottom of the fourth that made the score 8-4, and Georgia Southern was able to close out the Sun Belt win.

Kyleigh Richardson (3-0) notched the win in relief for Georgia Southern, hurling four innings of five-hit ball, giving up two runs - one earned - while walking two. Coons took the loss for the Warhawks, giving up four unearned runs, two hits and five walks in 2/3rds of an inning.

Bailee Wilson went 2-for-4 with two runs scored at the plate for the Eagles, while Smith drove in three. Williams and Kelsey Giddens had three hits apiece to pace the Warhawks.

"Tonight was a really good team win," Georgia Southern Head Softball Coach Kim Dean said. "ULM is a great competitor, and they kept battling back. But we were able to put numerous runs up in different innings. We had a good pitching outing by Aaliyah Garcia and Kyleigh Richardson coming in and helping us shut it down. It's always fun to win the first conference game, but we will get back at it tomorrow."