Final Stats

TROY, Ala.  – The Nicholls State University softball team pounded out eight hits on Saturday but left nine runners stranded on base as the Colonels fell, 3-1, to Ball State in day two of the Quality Inn Classic.

Due to rainy weather, the Colonels second game on Saturday against East Tennessee State was postponed after one inning and will resume on Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. Nicholls will wrap up the tournament against Troy at 12:30 p.m. The Colonels were originally scheduled to play Missouri on Sunday as well but that game has been canceled.

In the loss, senior Megan Gaspard led Nicholls (1-6) with three hits. Katie Moulder had her second straight start in the circle, giving up two earned on seven hits in five innings of work and finished with four strikeouts.

Ball State (2-1) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. After a leadoff walk, Moulder fanned the next two batters but surrendered a two-homer to Taylor Rager. Moulder would close the door in the first by striking out the side.

In the fourth, Nicholls pieced together a two-out rally to cut the lead in half. Kat Angeles kept the inning going with a single, followed by free passes by Leah Andrus and Victoria Hugghins to load the bases. Rachael Hugghins then gave Nicholls its first run with an infield single, but the Colonels would leave the bases loaded as they trailed 2-1.

After an unearned run in Ball State's half made it 3-1, Nicholls threatened again in the fifth. With one out, Gaspard singled and moved into scoring position after Ashley Ray drew a walk. However, Ball State's Audrey Workman, who tossed a complete game, struck out the next two hitters en route to a seven-strikeout day.

The Colonels tacked on two more hits in the final two frames but were unable to cut into the lead as they dropped their third straight.

Following the two games on Sunday, Nicholls will make its home debut on Tuesday against South Alabama. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.