Final Stats 1 | Final Stats 2 BIRMINGHAM, Ala.  – After rallying to send the game into extra innings in a 4-3 nine-inning loss at Samford, the Colonels jumped all over Gardner-Webb by plating six runs in the first and went on to earn a split on Saturday by defeating the Bulldogs, 10-6, in the night cap.
 
Nicholls (6-3) will close out the classic on Sunday at 11 a.m. with a rematch against Murray State. The Racers defeated the Colonels on Friday, 4-3.
 
Game 1 – Samford 4, Nicholls 3 (9 innings)
 
The Colonels were held scoreless through five innings against Samford as the Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead before Nicholls scored a run in the sixth in seventh innings to send the game into extras, but Samford came through with the game-winning single in the ninth for a 4-3 walkoff win.
 
Danielle Phillips led Nicholls at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and broke up the shutout with a solo home run in the sixth. With the Colonels down 2-1 in the seventh, Brooke Morris led off the frame with a single and Haley Parkerson tied the game with a one-out run-scoring double.
 
With the international tiebreaker into play, each team started the extra inning with a runner on second. Nicholls scored right away when Phillips doubled to lead off the eighth, giving the Colonels a 3-2 lead. However, in the bottom half, Sam knotted the game back up on a sacrifice fly.
 
After the Colonels were retired in order in the ninth, Samford ended the game with a run-scoring single to left.
 
Jackie Johnson earned a no decision after tossing eight innings. She allowed three runs, including two in the first, on four hits and struck out six batters. Hannah Haydel was tagged with the loss after pitching the ninth.
 
Game 2 – Nicholls 10, Gardner-Webb 6
 
The Colonels scored six runs in the first and plated two more in the third and fifth innings to hold off Gardner-Webb, 10-6.
 
Nicholls racked up 10 hits in the win, getting two each from Payton Gremillion, Kayla Prater and Phillips. The trio combined for eight RBIs with Prater driving in four while Gremillion and Phillips had two each.
 
The Colonels got on the board in the first when Prater drove in two on a single to right. Phillips then gave the Red and Gray a 4-0 lead with a 2-run double to left. Gremillion capped the inning with a two-run single.
 
GWU got two back in the bottom half after a 2-run home run by Scarlett Harris. But Nicholls answered with two in the third as Laura Neil homered and one run came in on a throwing error.
 
Leading 8-3 in the fifth, Prater pushed the advantage to 10-2 after hitting a triple down the right field line. GWU would add three more runs to make the final, but never posed a threat of a comeback.
 
Taylor Hastings pitched three innings for the Colonels, allowing three runs on six hits. Ashleigh Downing tossed 2.1 innings and gave up three runs as well, and Haydel pitched 1.2 innings and fanned one.