SAN MARCOS, Texas - The Nicholls State University softball team's season came to an end on Friday night in the Southland Conference Tournament, falling 8-4 to the No. 1 seed Stephen F. Austin at Bobcat Field.

Playing their final collegiate games were seniors Lacey Gros, Lyndsay Mesh, Natalie Travasos, and Audrey Wood.

"It is unfortunate that we lost; we had our opportunities and left a lot of runners on base," said Head Coach Jenny Parsons. "I'm very proud of my senior class and what they accomplished through the course of their career. They will be missed."

Nicholls left a total of 10 runners on base to Stephen F. Austin's seven.

Wood suffered the loss for Nicholls in the circle, tossing the complete game and surrendering eight runs - five earned - on eight hits while the Colonels committed two errors. The Lawon, Okla. native also went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI.

Joining Wood with multiple hits in the game for the Colonels were sophomores Megan Gaspard, Kayla Watterson and Mandy Granger.

Stephen F. Austin's Angela White got the win, tossing 3.1 innings and only giving up four runs - three earned - on six hits. Monika Covington relieved her in the fourth and did get the 3.2 inning save.

The Lady Jacks (29-19) struck first in the top of the first inning with a two-run homerun by third baseman Brianna Bishop to take the 2-0 lead. The Colonels (25-22) did respond in the bottom half, racking up a run on a sacrifice fly by Wood that plated Gaspard. Gaspard led off the inning with a shot to Bishop that was mishandled, and turned into a two-base error.

Nicholls then tied it up in the bottom of the third with a sacrifice fly by freshman Ashton Bennett that plated Watterson from third. The Colonels also took the lead in the third on groundout by freshman Katie Holmes to score Mesh from third to take the 3-2 lead.

However, Stephen F. Austin came back with a three-run fourth inning on a bases clearing triple by shortstop Jessica Arana to take a 5-3 lead. Nicholls responded in the bottom half on a RBI single by Wood that scored Gaspard from third. Gaspard lead off the inning with a double to right center.

The score would remain 5-4 until the top of the sixth when Stephen F. Austin added a run, and continued to pour it on in the top of the seventh with two more to take the 8-4 lead.

Nicholls failed to score in the bottom half to end the game and end its season.

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