Final Stats 1 | Final Stats 2 HAMMOND, La. – The Nicholls State University softball team failed to get a run across the plate for the second straight game as the Colonels lost in a pitcher's duel against Akron, 1-0; however, the Colonel bats woke up in their second game, lifting Nicholls to a 9-1 mercy-rule win over Alabama State to give the Colonels a split at the Lion Classic on Saturday.

After four games, Nicholls sits at 1-3 on the year. The Colonels will wrap up the tournament on Sunday with a 12 p.m. contest against Buffalo.

Game 1 – Akron 1, Nicholls 0

Freshman Jackie Johnson had her second strong outing in the circle in as many days but a wild pitch with the bases loaded in the fifth allowed the game's only run as Akron defeated Nicholls 1-0.

Despite the zero on the scoreboard, the Colonels had plenty of opportunities against the Zips as they out-hit Akron 9-3 and left a total of 12 runners stranded on base. Nicholls had two runners left on base in each inning with the exception of the final frame, which saw the game end on a double play.

Still trailing 1-0 with one out in the seventh, Danielle Phillips reached base for the second time via the walk, giving Nicholls at least one base runner in each inning. But Akron quickly ended the threat as Stevenson hit into a game-ending double play.

Johnson (0-2) pitched all seven innings for the Colonels, giving up just the three hits with four strikeouts and five walks.

Game 2 – Nicholls 9, Alabama State 1 (5 innings)

Nicholls was able to get another solid outing in the circle, this time from sophomore Hannah Haydel, and the offense cranked out 17 hits including home runs by Colleen Levy and Camille Rozas as the Colonels notched their first win of the season with a 9-1 victory over Alabama State.

Haydel scattered four hits in five innings of work, allowing only a single run in the bottom of the fifth. Haydel, who had five strikeouts, had a sizable cushion to work with after Nicholls scored six runs in the first frame.

Marcet started the scoring with a RBI single before Levy smacked a two-run home run for a 3-0 lead.  After scoring on a wild pitch, Nicholls grabbed a 6-0 lead when Rozas hit her first career homer, - a 2-run shot.

Stevenson came through with a run-scoring single in the second inning, and Nicholls pushed its lead to 9-0 in the third. The Colonels had three hits in the frame, highlighted by Cari Spain's 2-run double.

Alabama State prevented the shutout with a RBI single in the fifth before Haydel went on to record her first complete game of the season.

Rozas was 3-for-3 in the win while six other Colonels had two hits each – Brooke Morris, Marcet, Levy, Stevenson, Taylor Terrio and Olivia Van Hook.

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