March 25, 2008

Box Score

THIBODAUX, La. - Nicholls rode the arm of sophomore Lacey Gros in the first game to a 6-1 win, and followed that up with a 3-1 victory in the second contest to take both games against Louisiana-Monroe in the Colonel Softball Complex on Tuesday evening.

"We played well in both games and even though we left runners on base, I thought that we did a good job of scoring runs when we needed them while also playing sound defense," said head coach Jenny Parsons.

The Colonels (14-17) took the first game 6-1 as they pumped out nine hits to score their runs while also playing flawless defensively. Nicholls fell behind 1-0 after Louisiana-Monroe scored in the top of the fourth, but the Colonels responded with a four run bottom half of the inning to recapture the lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Colonels loaded the bases for none other than senior Kat Harrell who hit a bases clearing double to left center to take a 3-1 advantage. Harrell, who finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs, scored on a single up the middle by junior Danielle Clayton to round out the scoring in the inning as the Colonels led 4-1 after four.

The score remained 4-1 until the bottom of the sixth when Nicholls added two insurance runs with one coming off the bat of senior Amy Thibodeaux who smashed a screamer down the right field line that brought home true freshman Whitney Roan. Roan recorded an infield single in her at bat to lead off the inning, and finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

The second and final run of the sixth inning came on a failed pickoff attempt by Warhawk catcher Megan Miller to third base. Miller's throw caught third baseman Michelle Farrell-Fink off guard, which allowed Harrell to score easily from third on the error.

Getting the win in the circle was Gros as she improved to 4-2 on the season. The Schriever, La. native went the distance while only allowing two hits and one earned run while fanning seven. Standing out at the plate besides Harrell and Roan was Thibodeaux and junior Alex Austin as they both finished 2-for-3.

In the second game, the Warhawks (9-19) scored a run in the top of the first inning when Megan McNeill hit a RBI single up the middle that scored Courtney Cleveland. ULM's Brittany Brasell then hit a shot to senior Jessica Barksdale in the circle which caught her in the face, and forced her to leave the game. Senior Krystalin Ensminger entered the game after hardly throwing any warm up pitches to relieve Barksdale in the top of the first inning with two outs, and shut out the Warhawks the rest of the way.

Ensminger picked up the win to improve to 5-9 on the season after only allowing three hits, no runs and no walks while recording four strikeouts.

All three of the Colonels' runs in the second game came in the first inning with the first one coming off of sophomore Leah Bland as she was hit by ULM hurler Kandace Causey with bases loaded to score the first run. Sophomore Audrey Wood followed that up with a two RBI single to right center that scored Thibodeaux and junior Kodi Butler to cap off the inning.

Of the Colonels six hits in the game, Butler was responsible for two of them as she was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Harrell, Clayton, Bland and Wood also each had a hit in the second game win.

Nicholls will be back in action this Thursday as they travel to Louisiana Tech to take on the Bulldogs at 3 and 5 p.m. The Colonels will be home this weekend against conference rival Texas-San Antonio.

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