April 9, 2008

Box Score

THIBODAUX, La. - Nicholls used two powerful innings to defeat Southern 9-0 for their seventh consecutive win and second victory over the Lady Jaguars this season.

In the win, the Colonels (23-20, 10-8 SLC) picked up four runs in the third and five runs in the fifth while also playing flawless in the field to fuel their victory. The Lady Jaguars (20-14, 9-2 SWAC) only mustered two hits to go along with no runs and one fielding error.

"It was good to see how well we hit today. From top to bottom, our lineup got timely hits," said head coach Jenny Parsons.

"We have a very important series against Stephen F. Austin this weekend at home, and it is good to keep our momentum going heading into the series."

The game remained scoreless until the third when Nicholls exploded with four runs. The scoring fest started when senior Kat Harrell hit a double to center field that scored true freshman Tori Lay from third to make the score 1-0. The double by Harrell was her 41st career two-base hit, which ties her atop Nicholls' all-time doubles list with former player and current coach Leah Peterson.

The next run came on a walk by junior Kodi Butler that allowed Harrell to score from third. Butler walked on four straight pitches, and alertly induced a rundown when she tried to take second which allowed Harrell to slide safely into home. Unfortunately, Butler was tagged for the second out in the inning. Junior Danielle Clayton followed up with another walk before sophomore Audrey Wood hit a double to right center to bring her home for the 3-0 lead.

Senior Amy Thibodeaux closed out the scoring in the inning with a RBI single up the middle that plated Wood for the 4-0 lead. The RBI by Thibodeaux was her 99th career run batted in.

Both teams failed to score in the fourth, but Nicholls continued to pour it on in the bottom of the fifth with five runs. The first score in the fifth came when Clayton raced across the plate following a strike out by Thibodeaux that required a throw to first. Sophomore Nicole Smith then followed up with a double to leftfield before sophomore Leah Bland got the free ride to first via a walk. Sophomore Gabby Lemaire pinch ran for Smith at second base, and senior Rachel Pugh plated her with a RBI single to leftfield to make the score 6-0.

Bland then scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-0, and then Harrell hit the kill shot two-RBI triple to right center to score true freshman Whitney Roan and Lay to make the score 9-0. The umpires deemed mercy rule after Harrell's triple to give the Colonels the win in the fifth with only two outs.

Picking up the victory in the circle was senior Krystalin Ensminger as she threw all five innings allowing only two hits, no runs and one walk while fanning six. Ensminger improved to 8-10 on the season.

Standing out at the plate was Harrell with a 2-for-4 showing that included a double, a triple and three RBIs. Also having a two hit performance was Smith as she finished up 2-for-3 with a double. Recording a hit in the win was Clayton, Wood, Thibodeaux, Pugh and Lay.

The Colonels will host second place Stephen F. Austin this weekend in an important SLC series showdown. The annual meeting will start with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Colonel Softball Complex.

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