MONROE, La. - Nick Wade stole three bases and scored two runs to propel Gold to a 5-2 victory over Maroon in the third game of the ULM Maroon & Gold Blood Series on Wednesday night at Warhawk Field. Gold stole seven bases on the night to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

Gold was patient at the plate in the third inning as it received three walks in its first five batters. While loading the bases, Wade stole second prior to completing a successful double steal with Matt Laird, putting runners at second and third. Following a Jordy Poche base on balls, Casey Auttonberry ripped a two-RBI single to right field to give Gold a 3-1 lead.

As Gold put three runs on the scoreboard, it proved to be enough for the win as Poche tossed six solid innings on the hill. He struck out four and allowed only three hits, while Maroon was never able to get more than two base runners in an inning. However, Maroon did score two runs against Poche, one of which came on a wild pitch in the fourth inning.

Caleb Clowers led Gold with two hits and two RBIs, while Laird recorded two hits, one run scored, and one RBI. Auttonberry also drove in a pair of runs for Gold. On the mound, Wil Browning struck out two and gave up a pair of hits to earn a three-inning save.

Judd Edwards led Maroon with two hits and a RBI. Jarrett Hammond also added a pair of hits, along with a run scored.

Maroon and Gold traded runs in the opening inning of the contest. Boomer Blanchard ripped a double down the left field line for Maroon, prior to Edwards' RBI single for the first run of the game. In Gold's half of the frame, Laird drove Wade home from second on a single through the left side. Wade reached base on a fielding error and advanced to second on the first of his three steals in the game.

Hammond scored Maroon's second run of the night off a Poche wild pitch to cut the deficit to 3-2 in the fourth inning. Hammond led off the frame with a single through the left side of the infield, before advancing to second on a throwing error. He was moved to third on a Edwards sacrifice bunt.

Gold answered in the bottom of the sixth inning to extend its lead back to two runs, 4-2. After three straight walks to load the bases, Clowers grounded into a RBI double play to score Josh Gill.

Gold would later tack on an insurance run in the eighth off a Clowers' RBI single to left field, scoring Skylar Barrentine from second base. Barrentine reached base on a single up the middle before advancing to second on a balk.

The five-game ULM Baseball Maroon & Gold Blood Series continues on Thursday night with game four at Warhawk Field. The first pitch is schedule for 6 p.m.