Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2

HUNTSVILLE, Texas  – The Nicholls softball team held the lead late in both games of Saturday's doubleheader against Sam Houston State, but the Bearkats rallied in each contest to earn a sweep against the Colonels, winning 8-7 and 5-4 at the Bearkat Softball Complex.

The Colonels (19-23, 9-10) and Bearkats (27-19, 13-7) wrap up the series on Sunday, starting at 1 p.m. The game can be listened to on ThibodauxOnline.com.

Game 1 – Sam Houston 8, Nicholls 7

Nicholls broke out the big bats in the sixth to take four-run lead, scoring five runs fueled by three homers, but Sam Houston State answered with two runs in the bottom half before getting back-to-back home runs in the seventh to earn a walkoff 8-7 victory.

The Colonels, who had 11 home runs and just one multi-homer game heading into the series, erased a 3-2 deficit in the sixth when Ashton Bennett ripped a 2-run shot to left. The next batter, Courtney Vanlandingham, followed suit with a solo homer and three batters later, Brittany Marcet hit her third home run of the season to make the score 7-3.

After the Bearkats cut the lead in half with a pair of unearned runs in the sixth, Cecilia Castillo tied the game at 7 with a one-out, 2-run homer in the seventh. The Bearkats then went back-to-back as a shot by Shelby Tucker cleared the right field wall, giving Sam Houston a walkoff 8-7 win.

Bennett (11-10) took the loss for Nicholls, pitching 6.1 innings. The senior gave up six earned runs on 12 hits and struck out three. At the plate, the Colonels had eight hits, led by Alaina Guidry and Haley Parkerson with two each. Danielle Phillips had a double in the second that gave Nicholls a 2-0 lead before Sam Houston used three hits in the fourth to plate three.

Game 2 – Sam Houston 5, Nicholls 4

The Colonels fell victim to a late inning rally for the second time Saturday as Sam Houston scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to sweep the doubleheader, taking game two 5-4.

Nicholls outhit the Bearkats 12-7, but the Colonels stranded 13 runners on base. Ashley Bertot and Phillips led Nicholls with three hits each, with Phillips driving in the game's first run in the opening inning.

After a quiet 3.5 innings, Leah Andrus extended the Colonel lead with a 2-run home run to left in the fifth. Nicholls had a chance to do some more damage after loading the bases with one out, but Sam Houston escaped the inning with a strikeout out and a lineout.

The Bearkats cut into the advantage in the bottom half on a 2-run single by Hilliary Adams, but Guidry got one back after she doubled home Phillips in the sixth. Guidry finished 2-for-4 for the game, giving her four hits on the day.

In the bottom of the sixth, Tucker came through in the clutch again as she cleared the bases with a triple, giving Sam Houston a 5-4 lead.

In the Colonels' final at-bat, Bertot drew a two-out walk, but Parkerson flew out to left to end the game.

Hannah Haydel (7-9) pitched all six innings for the Colonels, giving up five earned runs on seven hits. She finished with three walks and one strikeout.