Box Score

MONROE, La. – Freshman Kat Angeles belted a two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to complete an impressive comeback by the Nicholls State University softball team, giving the Colonels a 7-5 victory over the University of Louisiana at Monroe in extra innings on Thursday night at the ULM Activity Center.

Trailing 5-3 in the seventh, Nicholls (9-20) would not go away quietly as the Colonels pieced together a two out rally. Megan Gaspard, who finished the game with three hits, drew a lead-off walk, and following back-to-back outs, Lauren Batiz kept the Colonels alive with a base hit. Batiz had a career night at the plate, tying her personal bests with three hits and three RBIs.

Nicholls drew two walks to load the bases for Tori Lay, who then delivered a clutch two-run double to knot the score at 5-5. Then again with two outs in the eighth, Gaspard doubled down the left field line before Angeles hit her first career homer, putting the score at 7-5. Carlee Winklemann (2-6) would then retire the Warhawks in order, snapping the Colonels' six-game skid and securing their first win in extra innings in five tries.

ULM (19-14) saw its seven-game winning streak come to a halt with the loss.

The Colonels finished with nine hits on the day, led by Batiz and Gaspard with three each. Ashley Ray also chipped in with a single while Angeles and Lay tied the team lead in RBIs with two apiece.

Winklemann picked up the decision out of the bullpen, allowing just one walk in two innings of work. The senior from Brenham, Texas finished the night with two strikeouts. Katie Moulder started in the circle, throwing three innings and giving up three runs while Ashton Bennett also tossed three innings, surrendering two runs.

Early in the game, Batiz gave the Colonels a 2-0 cushion in the third with a two-run double, but the Warhawks responded with three runs in their half to take to the lead. Batiz would come through again in the fifth with an RBI single, but once again, ULM answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth, and would add on one more in the sixth.

The Colonels were down to their final at-bat in the seventh before rallying to send the game into extra innings, setting up Angeles' game-winning homer in the eighth.

Nicholls will return to Southland Conference action with a three-game series at the University of Central Arkansas. First pitch for Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for 11 a.m.