Box vs Virginia
Box vs LSU

BATON ROUGE, La.  – The Nicholls State University softball team closed out play in the Purple & Gold Challenge at Tiger Park on Sunday, falling in extra innings to Virginia, 4-3, before dropping a pitcher's duel against No. 10 LSU, 1-0.

The Colonels (4-5) have lost three straight after winning their opener in the tournament against North Dakota St. on Saturday. LSU improves to 10-1 on the year after going 5-0 over the weekend.

Nicholls recorded four hits against Tiger starter Meghan Patterson (3-1), with Haley Parkerson going 2-for-3. Danielle Phillips had an infield single in the first and Leah Andrus led off the fourth with a double to rightcenter but was left stranded. Parkerson's last hit came with two outs in the seventh before Patterson completed the shutout.

In the circle, Ashton Bennett gave up just five hits in seven innings of work, surrendering a RBI single to Tammy Wray in the first inning. Bennett (3-2), a native of Baton Rouge, finished with one strikeout and a walk.

Against Virginia (3-4), the Colonels took advantage of two errors in the top of the first to take a 3-0 lead. Brittany Marcet brought home the first run on a sacrifice fly before Bennett took a 1-2 offering deep over the left field wall for a two-run homer, her first of the season.

The Cavaliers evened the score at 3 in the second after tagging Katie Moulder (0-2) with four hits. But Moulder would settle in, keeping Virginia hitless over the next four innings.

Despite giving up three singles, Virginia starter Melanie Mitchell (3-1) kept Nicholls off the board as well as she finished the day with nine strikeouts. In the seventh, the Colonels threatened to take the lead, getting a pair of one-singles by Parkerson and Ashley Bertot. However, Mitchell retired the next two batters to keep the game tied. Moulder matched her counterpart in the bottom half, leaving the bases loaded to send the game into extras.

In the bottom of the eighth, a Nicholls error put the winning run on before Shannon McGinley hit a walkoff double, driving in her third run of the game.

Moulder gave up two earned runs on six hits, finishing with two strikeouts and four walks.

The Colonels return to the diamond on Wednesday as they host South Alabama for their home debut. First pitch at the Colonel Softball Complex is scheduled for 5 p.m.

Purple & Gold Challenge All-Tournament Team
 
Bianka Bell, LSU
Ashton Bennett, Nicholls
Rachele Fico, LSU
Lauren Houston, LSU
Whitney Johnson, North Dakota State
Melanie Mitchell, Virginia
Morgan Mosby, Memphis
Alyssa Raina, North Dakota State
Meghan Patterson, LSU