Feb. 26, 2010

Final Stats

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Nicholls State University softball team continued its excellent start to the 2010 season, defeating Alabama State and Samford University on Friday afternoon in the Magic City Classic.

Nicholls (6-1) defeated Alabama State (2-4) in the first game, 5-0, with senior pitcher Audrey Wood getting her first career no-hitter in the process. Wood tossed the complete game, almost a perfect one if not for a hit batter in the second and an error in the final frame. The Lawton, Okla. native also fanned seven in the win.

Providing the run support in the game was senior Natalie Travasos with two RBI from the leadoff spot. Travasos contributed to the game's first run in the bottom of the third, singling to the pitcher that scored sophomore Kayla Watterson from third to give Nicholls the 1-0 advantage. Watterson powered the inning with a leadoff double.

The Colonels then busted the game wide open in the fifth with three runs with the first coming courtesy of junior Whitney Roan tripling to score Lauren Martinez. Following up the triple was a Travasos RBI single, and the final score of the inning came via a Hornet error that allowed Travasos to score to give Nicholls the 4-0 advantage.

The final score of the game for the Colonels came via a true freshman Lauren Batiz solo-homerun in the bottom of the sixth. Batiz now has two homeruns on the year for the Colonels. Leading Nicholls in the win were Batiz, Travasos, and Watterson with Multi-hit games as each registered at least one RBI in the game.

In the second game, it was senior Lacey Gros getting the win the circle by pitching the Colonels to a 3-2 win over host institution Samford in the night cap. Gros only gave up five hits through seven innings that included two runs - one earned - in the Schriever, La. native improving to 3-0 on the season.

Both teams each laid tied 1-1 through two complete and the score would remain that way until the bottom of the fifth when Nicholls got a RBI single thought the left side by Wood to score sophomore Megan Gaspard from second to take a 2-1 lead.

Samford responded in its next inning, scoring a run to tie the game, 2-2. However, Nicholls continued to be resilient, scoring a run in the bottom half of the sixth on a RBI single by Travasos to take a 3-2 lead that proved to be enough for the win.

Leading the Colonels in the second game was Watterson and Roan, each getting multi-hit outings.

Nicholls will be back in action tomorrow against Troy at 11 a.m. in the Magic City Classic.

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