BECKLEY, W.Va. (Interstat) — Bryce Blaser hit a two-run home run and added two doubles, powering Louisiana-Monroe to a 7-5 victory over Marshall on Sunday afternoon at Linda K. Epling Stadium.

The Warhawks improved to 26-26 overall and 12-12 in the Sun Belt. The Thundering Herd dropped to 23-28 and 10-14.

Blaser went 3 for 4 with the homer and two RBIs, capping a series in which he collected six hits and drove in four runs over three games. Marcus Aranda added a solo home run and a double, finishing 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Adam Tubbs earned the win in relief, working 4 2/3 innings, allowing no hits and two unearned runs while striking out two. Caleb Strmiska tossed three innings of one-run ball, and Seaver Sheets struck out one in a scoreless first inning. Tyler Roark recorded the final out of the ninth for his first save.

Ethan Murdoch homered and drove in two runs for Marshall, going 2 for 4. Jackson Halter also homered, finishing 2 for 5 with an RBI. Peyton Jackson allowed two hits and one earned run over two innings in relief. Kenyon Collins started and took the loss, surrendering six hits and five earned runs in six innings while striking out five.

Louisiana-Monroe struck first in the top of the third. Garrett Wiethorn walked, and Blaser followed by crushing a home run to right center, giving the Warhawks a 2-0 lead.

Marshall answered in the bottom of the fourth. Jack Golden singled, and Evan Bottone followed with a single. Tyler Kamerer then ripped a single through the right side that scored Golden and cut the deficit to 2-1.

The Thundering Herd tied the game in the fifth after an error extended the inning. AJ Havrilla scored on a sacrifice fly by Murdoch, and Cooper Hinson scored on a single by Jack Smith to make it 3-2 Marshall.

Louisiana-Monroe regained the lead in the sixth. Aranda led off with a home run to left field, tying the game at 3.

The pivotal inning came in the top of the seventh. Davis Mauzy was hit by a pitch, and Wiethorn doubled. After a pitching change, Blaser struck out, but Jake Haggard singled through the right side, scoring Mauzy and Wiethorn. Aranda followed with an RBI double that scored Haggard, giving the Warhawks a 7-3 lead.

Marshall loaded the bases in the third but could not score. The Herd grounded into three double plays, including one in the second, sixth and seventh innings, thwarting potential rallies.

In the bottom of the ninth, Halter led off with a home run to center field. After two outs, Murdoch homered to right, cutting the lead to 7-5. Roark then entered and surrendered a single to Mason Onate, but Oliver Service grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the game.

The Warhawks outhit the Thundering Herd 15-10, but Marshall left seven runners on base and could not overcome the early deficit.

Blaser’s performance continued a strong stretch. He went 1 for 4 on Saturday, 2 for 4 with two RBIs on Friday, and had a hit in four of his previous five games entering Sunday.

The teams split the three-game series, with Marshall winning the first two contests by scores of 13-10 and 7-4.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Louisiana-Monroe 5, Marshall 4. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Marshall with a 56 percent probability to win.