February 14, 2007

THIBODAUX, La. - The weather played a large factor in the Colonels sluggish performance in their first of two games against the No. 13 Ragin Cajuns, but Nicholls' sophomore Kodi Butler warmed things up in the second game by throwing a two hitter to give the Colonels their first victory of the season.

"It was her (Butler) first time pitching on the college level and she did a great job of keeping one of the best hitting teams in the country off balance," said head coach Jenny Parsons. "I'm proud of her (Butler) and I am very proud of how my team fought today."

The Colonels (1-6) won the second game against Louisiana-Lafayette 6-1, and lost the first game against the Ragin Cajuns (7-1) by the identical score of 6-1.

In Nicholls' victory on Wednesday afternoon, senior Leah Peterson had a bases clearing triple in the bottom of the fourth inning that blew open a 2-1 game. Peterson, who finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs, scored in the inning as well to give the Colonels a 6-1 lead that they would never surrender. Junior Amy Thibodeaux was responsible for the first two runs in the game when she drove in Peterson and junior Kat Harrell in the bottom of the first.

"It was great to get back home and play in front of our own fans," said Parsons. "ULL has a great program and it is great to play in state schools like them."

The Ragin Cajuns won the first game, and in the duel Butler drove in junior Rachel Pugh on a double to left center to record the lone Colonel run of the contest. In the loss, Ragin Cajun flamethrower Brittany Cuevas struck out 12 Colonels to lead Louisiana-Lafayette past Nicholls.

Nicholls will be back in action against this Saturday and Sunday when they host Southern and Alcorn State in the Mardi Gras Mambo Tournament. The Colonels will kick off this weekend's festivities on Saturday at 11 a.m. against Southern.

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