Final Stats

THIBODAUX – Sam Houston State scored five runs in the third inning to propel the Bearkats to a series sweep of the Nicholls State University softball team as the Colonels fell 6-3 on Saturday afternoon at the Colonel Softball Complex.

Nicholls (4-18, 0-2) dropped its seventh straight contest with the loss, while Sam Houston (8-13, 2-0) extends its winning streak to seven games.

Ashton Bennett (1-7), who started in the circle after Katie Moulder was a late scratch, gave up five runs in the third as SHSU pounded out five hits in the frame; however, none of the runs were earned after the Colonels committed two errors in the inning.

After a leadoff error, Sam Houston plated its first run on a sacrifice fly by Kim Damian, who was one of six Bearkats to have two hits on the day, and scored another on the play following a throwing error. With two down, Sarah Allison  belted a solo shot to center to make it 3-0 before Sam Houston strung together three straight singles, capped on a two-run base hit up the middle by Hillary Adams.

The Colonels got two back in the bottom half after Ashley Ray laced a two-run double to left center, scoring Paige Miller and Ashley Bertot. In the next inning, Miller, who finished 3-for-3 at the plate, cut the deficit to 5-3 with an RBI single.

Nicholls had a golden opportunity in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases with two outs. Miller and Bertot singled in the inning before Gaspard reached on an error to fill the bags. Ray, who came into the game leading the Southland with a .448 batting average, hit a hard grounder to the shortstop, but it was fielded cleanly and Gaspard was forced out at second.

In the final frame, Sam Houston added a run on a sac fly to make it 6-3. In the bottom half, the Bearkats ended the game for the second straight time by retiring the Colonels in order.

Bennett was tagged with the loss, giving up one earned on 14 hits in seven innings. Nicholls finished with nine hits, led by Miller and two from Bertot.

Shelby Lancaster (3-4) tossed five innings for the Bearkats, and last night's starter, Tomi Garrison, picked up her third save of the season.

Nicholls will return to action on Monday with a doubleheader at UT Arlington. The series was scheduled for last weekend, but was postponed due to weather. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. A live broadcast will be available courtesy of ThibodauxOnline.com.