MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Looking to end the Black and Gold Tournament on a high note, the Nicholls State University softball team matched Middle Tennessee State with eight hits, but the Colonels left the bases loaded twice as they were defeated 7-1 on Sunday afternoon.
 
Middle Tennessee had built a 5-0 lead after the first two innings. Colonel starter Taylor Hastings (0-1) walked one and was charged with two wild pitches in the first to allow a run. In the second, Hastings allowed an RBI double and a run on a sacrifice fly before exiting the game. Hastings finished with four earned runs on three hits in 1.2 innings.
 
Megan Landry came in for relief, but the Blue Raiders plated two more in the inning on a single and an error for the five-run lead. The Colonels got one back in the bottom half as Alexis Huss led off the inning with a single and scored on Gremillion's grounder. But Nicholls left the bases loaded for the second time after reliever Kelsi Cheney (2-0) got Haley Parkerson to ground out to second.
 
Middle Tennessee then took a 7-1 advantage on a two-run homer in the fifth. The Colonels got a base hit in each of the final three frames, but were never able to add another run.
 
Brooke Morris, Kristen Ahearn and Huss led the offense with three hits each. Landry tossed 4.1 innings of relief and Haydel pitched the final frame.
 
The Colonels return home for their next two games as they host Alcorn State for a doubleheader on Tuesday, Feb. 23. First pitch at the Colonel Softball Complex is scheduled for 5 p.m. Admission to all Colonel home softball games is free of charge.