Box Score

HAMMOND, La. – The Nicholls State University softball team rallied late, bringing four across the plate in the bottom of the seventh  on two home runs, but Northern Illinois fought off the comeback as the Colonels dropped their opener, 9-8, on Friday night at North Oak Park.

Senior Ashley Ray hit two long balls for the Colonels (0-1) to move up to fifth on the Nicholls all-time list with 19. Ray, who went 3-for-3 with three RBIs, also set the program-record for longest hitting streak (15 games) in her first at-bat with a two-run shot to leftcenter.

Trailing 9-4 in the seventh, Ray led off the inning with a solo shot, and following a single by Kat Angeles and an NIU error, freshman Rachel Moore hit a three-run homer to cut the deficit to one. With two outs, Lauren Jolivette was hit by a pitch but Northern Illinois (2-0) forced a flyout to end the game.

Junior Ashton Bennett (0-1) was tagged with the loss, surrendering six earned on 10 hits in four innings. Sophomore Katie Moulder threw two innings of relief, giving up three runs on three hits.

Nicholls scored the first four runs of the game, but NIU plated three runs each in the third, fourth and sixth inning. The Colonels threatened in their half of the sixth, loading the bases with no outs; however, a fly out to right field turned into a triple play for the Huskies to close out the inning.

With rain delaying the tournament, Nicholls will play two games on Saturday and two on Sunday. The Colonels will face Tennessee-Martin at 11 a.m., followed by a 1:30 p.m. game against Troy.