Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2

THIBODAUX, La.  – The Nicholls State University softball team opened Southland Conference play Saturday in a doubleheader at the Colonel Softball Complex against Lamar and came away with a split, winning 9-3 before dropping the nightcap 7-3.

Nicholls (8-12, 1-1) and Lamar (9-12, 1-1) will wrap up the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. The game can be listened to on ThibodauxOnline.com.

The Colonels racked up 19 hits on the day, getting three each from Danielle Phillips, Ashton Bennett and Morgan Wilson. Bennett smacked her second home run of the season, while Alaina Guidry recorded an inside-the-park homer. Both of the four-baggers game in the opening game.

Bennett took the circle in game one, giving up three earned runs on eight hits in six innings of work. The senior got plenty of run support as Nicholls scored in each of the first four innings, including a five-spot in the fourth. Bennett led the way at the plate as well, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs.

Leading 4-1 in the fourth, Nicholls blew the game open with four hits in the frame. Guidry got things started when she laced a shot to right, rolling all the way to the fence after a diving attempt by the LU fielder came up short. Pinch runner Paige Miller scored easily from first before Guidry legged out the inside-the-park home run. Bennett then capped the inning with a two-run single to center, making the score 9-1.

Lamar used a leadoff triple in the fifth to avoid the run-rule and added one more in the sixth, making the final 9-3.

In game two, Lamar took advantage of a bases loaded error in the fifth to plate four runs, which ended up being the difference as LU won 7-3.

Hannah Haydel (2-5) took the loss, pitching five innings with two earned runs on eight hits. She finished with two strikeouts and two walks.

Nicholls had seven hits – led by Phillips with two – but had trouble figuring out Shannon Millman, who struck out five in seven innings. The Colonels took the lead in the second on a RBI double by Wilson, but Lamar grabbed the lead after a two-run homer in the fourth by Beverly Corry.

After the Lady Cardinals led off the fifth with a triple, Haydel retired the next two batters but a walk and hit-by-pitch loaded the bases. The Colonels looked to be out of the inning on a  grounder to third, however, a missed putout by Wilson cleared the bases before LU tacked on one more  for the 7-1 lead.

The Colonels got two back in the sixth, including one off a triple by Phillips, but came up empty in the seventh as Lamar earned the split.