Game One
Game Two

THIBODAUX – The Nicholls State University softball team rebounded from a tough 1-0 loss against Northwestern State in the first game of its Friday night doubleheader to earn a split, taking game two 5-1 at the Colonel Softball Complex.

Nicholls stands at 11-26 overall and 5-7 in conference. Northwestern State (18-25) remains behind the Colonels in the standings at 6-10.

The Colonels will return to the diamond on Tuesday with a doubleheader at McNeese State. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.

Game One: Northwestern State 1, Nicholls 0
Katie Moulder (5-13) scattered six hits and gave up a run in the first, but it would be all the offense that the Lady Demons needed as they shutout the Colonels 1-0 to take the opening game.

Her counterpart, Kylie Roos (7-10), gave NSU its fifth consecutive shutout victory, giving up no runs on five hits in seven innings. Roos finished with five strikeouts, including one looking that ended the game.

The Lady Demons scored in the first, using two hits to grab a 1-0 lead. Brianna Rodriguez drove in the game's only run on a RBI single to right.

The Colonels were able to record a hit in each of the first three innings, but could never capitalize. In the seventh, Nicholls put the first two runners on after Ashley Ray walked and Leah Andrus singled. However, Roos sandwiched a flyout between two strikeouts to end the game.

Game Two: Nicholls 5, Northwestern State 1
Ashton Bennett (6-8) gave up just four hits and recorded a season-high six strikeouts en route to a complete game and freshman Rachel Moore blasted a two-run home run late as Nicholls won the night cap, 5-1.

With three errors in the first inning, Nicholls made Northwestern State pay as they plated three runs to grab an early lead. Megan Gaspard slapped a single up the middle to score Ashley Bertot to make it 1-0, and Andrus brought home the second run on a fielder's choice. Andrus then came home after she stole second, causing two errors in the process.

Bennett faced the minimum through the first four innings. In the fourth, she gave up her first hit, but quickly got out of the inning with a 1-6-3 double play.

Leading 3-0 in the sixth, Moore drilled a pitch off Sara Aasness (1-2) over the leftfield fence, giving Nicholls a five-run advantage. The two-run shot was Moore's third of the season.

Northwestern State finally cracked the scoring column in the seventh after two hits and a walk, but Bennett capped off her complete game with her sixth and final strikeout, fanning Brittany Virgoe.

Nicholls had seven hits in the win, led by Bertot, Gaspard and Moore with two each. Bennett accounted for the other hit, and also scored on Moore's homerun.

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