THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University softball team used solid pitching by
Jackie Johnson and
Samantha Mracich along with a three-hit day from senior Caitlyn Carrol to sweep a doubleheader against Alcorn State, 4-3 and 4-1, Wednesday night at the Colonel Softball Complex.
The wins improved Nicholls to 11-2 on the season and 4-0 at home.
Game 1 – Nicholls 4, Alcorn State 3
The Colonel offense was held in check against lefty Robin Harrison for most of the game, but a two-base throwing error in the sixth led to two unearned runs as the Colonels escaped with a 4-3 victory.
Nicholls fell behind early after Alcorn (3-5) tagged starter
Taylor Hastings with three runs on three hits in the first inning. With one out, Johnson came in for relief and was dominant for the rest of the game, allowing just four hits and struck out 10.
The offense did not crack the scoring column until the fourth after some two-out magic.
Amanda Gianelloni started the rally with a base hit and
Jessica Taylor and
Haley Stevenson each followed with singles to load the bases. Carroll, a senior from Mandeville, came through with a base knock to right center, driving in a pair of runs to make it 3-2 Alcorn.
In the decisive sixth, Gianelloni and Taylor each reached on infield singles before a throwing error allowed Gianelloni to come home to even the score. Carroll then stepped up again as her groundout to second pushed the go-ahead run across the plate.
Alcorn put the tying run on to start the seventh, but Johnson took control of the frame by striking out the side for the 4-3 victory.
Game 2 – Nicholls 4, Alcorn State 1
Freshman
Samantha Mracich made an impressive debut in the circle, tossing a complete game 2-hitter in the Colonels' 4-1 win in the night cap against Alcorn State.
Mracich, who played the first 12 games in left field, got the start settled down after a shaky first inning. After a hit-by-pitch and two wild pitches allowed a run to score, Mracich kept the Lady Braves off balance the rest of night by scattering two hits.
Unlike the first game, Nicholls quickly answered with two runs in the bottom half. With the bases loaded,
Veronica Villafranco found a gap through the left side of the infield to give Nicholls an early 2-1 lead.
Nicholls added runs in the second and sixth innings to provide some extra cushioning in Mracich's first start. Gianelloni's single to short in the second made it 3-1 and pinch hitter Kayla Daniels drove in
Brooke Morris in the sixth to make the final.
Nicholls finished with just four hits against Ambria Dorsey, led by two bunt singles by Mracich.
UP NEXT
The Colonels head to Texas this weekend for five games in the UTA Invitational. Play starts on Friday with matchups against UMKC and host UTA.
