Box Score

ARLINGTON, Texas – Trailing 4-0 after three innings, the Nicholls State University softball team rallied back to tie the score at four all, but two errors in the bottom of the seventh would give the University of Texas-Arlington a walk-off 5-4 victory on Sunday afternoon at Allan Saxe Field.

Nicholls (8-20, 2-9 SLC) was led on offense by juniors Ashley Ray and Laine Strickland, who each had a home run in the game. Including the two long balls, the Colonels finished with four hits on the day as Megan Gaspard doubled and Tori Lay chipped in with a single.

Ashton Bennett (5-9) took the loss after throwing 4.2 innings of relief. Bennett gave up two runs – one earned – on five hits while striking out two. Katie Moulder started in the circle, going 1.2 innings, surrendering three runs on five hits.

UT-Arlington (23-12, 10-2 SLC) outhit Nicholls 7-0 through the first three innings to build an early 4-0 lead. The Mavericks scored three runs in the second before tacking one on in the third.

Gaspard recorded the first Colonel hit in the fourth, and then scored on Lay's single. In the next frame, Brittany Marcet drew a lead-off walk before Strickland cut the deficit to 4-3 with a two-run shot over the left field wall.

Nicholls used the long ball again in the sixth as Ray led off with her seventh homer of the season. Ray's home run snapped a 12-game drought with her last coming on Feb. 27. She came into the weekend tied for fourth in the Southland Conference.

In the Maverick seventh, UTA led off with a single. After a sac bunt, an error, and a wild pitch put runners in scoring position with one out, the Mavs plated the game winning run on the second Colonel error of the frame as UTA swept the three-game set.

The Colonels will return to the diamond on Thursday when they visit the University of Louisiana-Monroe for a non-conference matchup. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.