Final Stats LAKE CHARLES, La. – The Nicholls State University softball team put 11 runners on base in Friday night's series opener at McNeese State but the Colonels were unable to push a run across the plate, falling 3-0 to the Cowgirls.
 
The Colonels (16-29, 6-11) and Cowgirls (31-12, 14-4) will wrap up the series on Saturday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
 
Freshman Jackie Johnson (9-14) was on the wrong end of a pitchers' duel, allowing three earned on six hits in six innings of work. McNeese's Jamie Allred notched her 20th win of the year, surrendering five hits and struck out seven batters.
 
Five Colonels recorded hits in the loss, including Danielle Phillips who doubled and was walked three times. Kayla Prater also had a double while Taylor Terrio, Haley Parkerson and Brooke Morris all singled.
 
After Nicholls stranded two runners in the first, McNeese took a 1-0 lead in their at-bat with an RBI single by Ashley Modzelewski. The Cowgirls then went up 2-0 after a bunt single brought home a run.
 
Things looked promising in the fourth as Prater's double led off the frame, but Allred retired the next two batters before an error put runners on first and third. Terrio would ground out to end the inning, keeping the score at 2-0.
 
Following a leadoff triple in the fifth that led to a 3-0 lead for McNeese, the Colonels threatened in the seventh with a pair of one-out walks. However, the Cowgirls ended the game when a liner to short by Colleen Levy led to an unassisted double play.
 
Katie Roux led the Cowgirls at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a run scored.