Box Score

THIBODAUX – The Nicholls State University softball team scored a run in each of its final three innings, but in the end it was not enough as the University of Southern Miss held on for a 6-3 victory on Wednesday night at the Colonel Softball Complex.

Trailing 4-0 in the fifth, Nicholls (9-25) threatened in the bottom half by loading the bases with two out but could only push one run across on a walk by Mandy Granger. After Southern Miss (12-27) responded with two runs in the sixth, Nicholls tacked on two more but were unable to pick up its tenth victory of the season.

Nicholls had eight hits on the night, led by Whitney Roan who was 3-for-4. Granger added a hit and drove in a pair which included a RBI fielder's choice in the seventh while Megan Gaspard extended her hitting streak to eight games by legging out a double in her final at-bat.

Carlee Winklemann (2-9) was tagged with the loss, giving up four runs on six hits in four innings. Katie Moulder came in for relief, tossing three innings, surrendering two runs on five hits.

Southern Miss jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first after a two-out solo home run just barely made it past the glove of left fielder Lauren Jolivette. In Nicholls' half, back-to-back one out singles by Roan and Ashley Ray put two on, but USM's Courtney Ramos ended the threat with a pair of groundouts.

After three hits in the fourth led to three runs for USM, Nicholls cracked the scoring column in the fifth inning. Laine Strickland and Roan had singles for the Colonels, and walks from Ray and Granger made the score 4-1.

The Golden Eagles put together another three hit inning for two more runs in the sixth, but Nicholls responded with a run of its own to cut the deficit to 6-2. Jolivette tripled to rightcenter and pinch-hitter Ashton Bennett would drive her in on a groundout.

Gaspard's hit in the seventh led to one more run; however, Southern Miss held on to take the season series, 2-0, while handing Nicholls its fifth consecutive loss.

Ramos picked up the win in six innings of work, scattering seven hits while giving up two runs. The Golden Eagles were led on offense by Brittany Lilly with three hits and Leslie LeJune with two RBIs.

Nicholls will return to action on Saturday at the Colonel Softball Complex with a Southland Conference doubleheader against Texas State. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.