STATESBORO - Georgia Southern softball opened up Sun Belt Conference play on Saturday with a doubleheader against ULM. The Warhawks won game one, 5-3, with four runs in the seventh, then outlasted the Eagles, 11-9, in eight innings in the nightcap that was played under protest.

ULM moves to 10-12 overall and 4-1 in the Sun Belt with the results, while Georgia Southern falls to 5-11 overall and 0-2 in the Sun Belt. The final game of the series will take place at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

GAME ONE: ULM 5, Georgia Southern 3

ULM led off game one with a solo home run by Korie Kreps, but the Eagles quickly tied things up in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly by Janai Conklin.

Georgia Southern took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth on back-to-back RBI doubles by Ashlynn Gunter and Faith Shirley.

The Warhawks picked up the late-inning win with four runs in the top of the seventh. Jayden Mount had an RBI double, then a play at the plate saw a tag get away from Conklin to allow the tying run to score. Kennedy Johnson's sacrifice fly snapped the 3-all tie, then Rylee Lara's pinch-hit single drove in the final run of the frame.

Murphy Williams (2-4) hurled six innings of five-hit relief, giving up two unearned runs and walking two while striking out four to notch the win for ULM. Aaliyah Garcia (2-3) took the loss for Georgia Southern, giving up five hits and four runs - one earned - in 5 2/3 innings of work, walking two while striking out five.

GAME TWO: ULM 11, Georgia Southern 9 (8 inn.)

ULM built a 9-1 lead on the Eagles through four innings. Georgia Southern started its comeback with Ashlynn Gunter and Faith Shirley each drilling solo home runs in the bottom of the fifth to ensure the game continued. Gunter's home run was the first of the junior's career at Georgia Southern.

The Eagles plated three in the sixth on freshman Dejah Mills' first career home run and RBI singles from Olivia Creamer and Mekhia Freeman. 

Trailing by three entering the bottom of the seventh, Aniston Johnson's two-run double brought the Eagles to within one, then Allyssah Mullis' RBI triple tied the game at 9-all.

ULM scored two unearned runs in the top of the eighth inning. In the bottom of the eighth inning, with one out and a runner on second, Bailee Wilson doubled to center, driving in a run to make the score 11-10. A protest from the ULM head coach and subsequent ruling by the home plate umpire that Wilson was not properly re-entered meant Wilson was out for batting out of order, and ULM got the final out for the victory. Georgia Southern Head Coach Kim Dean played the game under protest from Wilson's at-bat.

Williams hurled two shutout innings of relief to notch the win for ULM. Anna Feil (0-3) gave up seven hits and two unearned runs in 3 1/3 innings of work, walking one and striking out one to take the loss for Georgia Southern.