ARLINGTON, Texas – For the first time in the young season, the Nicholls State University softball team dropped consecutive games as the Colonels were defeated 8-4 against UMKC before falling in a 4-0 decision versus host UTA Friday in the opening day of the UTA Invitational.
Game 1 – UMKC 8, Nicholls 4
The Colonels jumped out to a 2-0 lead after two innings before UMKC used four home runs to hand the Nicholls an 8-4 loss.
Nicholls had nine hits compared to 10 by UMKC, but stranded nine runners on base.
Samantha Mracich,
Jessica Taylor and
Sydney Bourg had two hits each and
Kimmie Rodriguez drove in two on a homer in the fifth which cut the deficit to 7-4.
UMKC's Morgan Bryn hit her second homer of the game in the seventh to make the final.
Jackie Johnson (4-2) took the loss, allowing six earned runs on five hits.
Megan Landry tossed four innings of relief, surrendering one earned on five hits.
Game 2 – UTA 4, Nicholls 0
The Colonels were shutout for the just the second time this season as host UTA picked up a 4-0 victory.
UTA's Aileen Garcia homered twice off Colonel starter
Megan Landry, who slipped to 6-2 on the year after allowing four earned runs on nine hits. UTA's Sam Clakley tossed seven shutout innings and struck out five while scattering six hits.
Two of the hits came via
Samantha Mracich, who was 2-for-2 with a walk. Nicholls had runners in scoring position in the third and sixth innings but could not break the shutout.
Garcia's first dinger was a solo shot in the second. UTA added one in the fifth before Garcia hit another homer in the sixth to make it 3-0. The Mavs used four hits in the frame to take a 4-0 lead.
UP NEXT
The Colonels will take on Wichita State Saturday at 3 p.m. before a rematch against UTA at 5:30 p.m.
