March 27, 2008

Box Score

RUSTON, La. - Louisiana Tech shutout Nicholls 4-0 in the first game, but the Colonels were resilient as they defeated the Techsters 3-1 in the second contest to split Thursday's doubleheader.

Louisiana Tech (18-17) rode the arm of hurler Krissi Oliver to a complete game shutout victory in the first of two tilts as she only yielded four hits while fanning four and giving no free trips. It was her seventh win of the season and fourth coming by shutout.

Of the four hits for the Colonels (16-18) in the first game, two of them came off the bat of senior Amy Thibodeaux as she went 2-for-3 with her eighth double of the season. The other hits were credited to sophomore Leah Bland and true freshman Whitney Roan. Bland went 1-for-3 while Roan finished 1-for-1.

Dubbed with the loss for the Colonels was senior Krystalin Ensminger (5-10) as she threw two innings giving up six hits and four runs in facing 12 batters. Ensminger was relieved by sophomore Lacey Gros who threw the remaining four innings while not allowing a run. Gros fanned four in relief while three of her strikeouts came back-to-back-to-back in the bottom of the third when she pitched her way out of a bases loaded no outs jam.

In the second game, the Colonels got the run support they lacked in the first game while limiting the Techsters in the 3-1 victory. Getting the win in the circle was sophomore Audrey Wood as she improved to a team best 5-1 on the season. Wood went the distance while only allowing one run on seven hits, five strikeouts and three walks.

Both teams added a run in their half of the first inning with the Colonels' score coming on a RBI single by Thibodeaux to the pitcher that brought home senior Kat Harrell. Nicholls added another run in the top of the fourth when junior Kodi Butler hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield that brought home junior Danielle Clayton from third to make the score 2-1.

Nicholls added an insurance run in the top of the sixth when true freshman Tori Lay hit a RBI single to leftfield that scored Clayton to give Nicholls the 3-1 advantage.

Leading the Colonels at the plate in the win were Thibodeaux and Lay as they each finished 2-for-3 with a RBI. Clayton, Harrell and junior Alex Austin each had a hit to round out the Colonel hitters. Clayton also had two runs scored.

The Colonels will be back in action this weekend at home against Texas-San Antonio in a pivotal SLC series. First pitch for Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. and GameTracker will be available for fans to follow the game live statistically on the internet.

###