March 2, 2008

Box Score

THIBODAUX, La. - The Colonels' bats came around at the plate and sophomore Lacey Gros found a groove in the circle to end Nicholls' four game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the Mavericks on Sunday afternoon.

In the win, senior Amy Thibodeaux belted her SLC best seventh homerun of the season to give her 23 career knocks. The Colonels all-time career leader is former great Karen Allen who hit 29 dingers from 1982-85. Thibodeaux is currently on pace to hit 21 homeruns this season, which would shatter junior Danielle Clayton's single-season homerun record of 12 set last year.

The Colonels (7-11, 2-4) started off the game with a run in the bottom of the first inning as Clayton hit a double to center field that brought home junior Kodi Butler from third to make the score 1-0. Butler singled in her at bat up the middle, and made the most out of her time on the bases as she stole second and advanced on a wild pitch by Laura Jones.

Butler finished with a team best two hits as she was 2-for-3 at the plate. Leading Texas-Arlington (5-10, 2-4) with a 1-for-4 performance that included a homerun was Brittany Washington.

Washington hit a solo bomb off of Gros to tie things up in the top of the fourth, but Nicholls got the run back in the fifth after an erratic two-error play that scored sophomore Nicole Smith.

Smith hit a slow roller to Whitney Simpson at third base that she threw away to right field which allowed Smith to advance to second. While Smith was running to second, Washington over threw her cut off man sending the ball into left field that allowed her to round third and score. Smith's run broke the tie to make the score 2-1 after five complete.

The Colonels added Thibodeaux's homerun in the bottom of the sixth to go up 3-1, which was enough run support for Gros to get the win. Gros improved to 2-2 on the year in the circle as she went the distance allowing only three hits, one run and five walks while fanning five.

"We hit the ball well today, and played much better in the field. Lacey (Gros) really hit her spots today pitching, and we had some timely hits that helped us get the win," said head coach Jenny Parsons.

Nicholls will be back in action on Tuesday as they travel to play Louisiana-Lafayette in a doubleheader that starts at 4 p.m. The Colonels next home game is set for Wednesday March fifth at 6 p.m. against nationally ranked LSU.