Final Stats

CONWAY, Ark. – For the second time in as many days, the Nicholls State University softball team fell behind 4-0 after the first inning, but this time, Central Arkansas kept the Colonels off the board as UCA earned a series sweep with a 4-0 victory on Saturday afternoon at Farris Field.

With the sweep, Nicholls (9-25) falls to 4-6 in Southland play and to seventh in the standings. Central Arkansas (31-17) evens its SLC record at 7-7 and pushes its win streak against the Colonels to five games.

Ashton Bennett (5-8) suffered the loss in her sixth complete game of the season, giving up two earned runs on seven hits in six innings of work. She finished the day with one strikeout and walked three.

At the plate, Ashley Ray accounted for two of the Colonels' four hits, with Ashley Bertot, who extended her hitting streak to eight games, and Leah Andrus adding a single each.

Ray got the Colonels started in the first with a two-out double, but UCA starter Kelsie Armstrong (19-10) picked up her first of six strikeouts on the day to end the frame.

In the bottom half, a single, error and a walk loaded the bases before UCA made it 1-0 on a passed ball. Following another walk, Melissa Bryant cleared the bases with a double down the right field line, giving the Sugar Bears a 4-0 lead.

Through the next four innings, the Colonels were held to just one hit, with Andrus reaching base in the fourth on a single to left.

In the Colonel sixth, Bertot led off the inning with a base hit and with one out, Ray recorded her second hit of the day. Andrus then drew a walk to load the bases, but like Friday night's game, the Sugar Bears came away unscathed after a lineout and pop out ended the threat.  The Colonels were retired in order in the seventh, giving UCA the series victory.

The Colonels will wrap up their road trip on Monday, with a doubleheader at Grambling State. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.