ARLINGTON, Texas – The Nicholls State University softball team saw its skid stretch to three games after a 3-2 loss to Wichita State Saturday, but the Colonels responded by taking down host UTA, 5-3, to wrap up its doubleheader in the UTA Invitational.
Game 1 – Wichita State 3, Nicholls 2
A seventh-inning rally came up a bit short as the Colonels were handed a 3-2 loss by Wichita State.
With two down and facing a 3-1 deficit, Nicholls climbed to within one after
Brooke Morris singled to right center for an RBI. But with two runners on, the Shockers forced a groundout to end the game.
Jessica Taylor was 3-for-3 at the plate and
Sydney Bourg added two hits. Nicholls finished with eight hits, as did Wichita State.
Megan Landry suffered the loss, allowing three earned runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings. She held WSU scoreless through three before they plated a run in the fourth on a solo home run.
After WSU tacked on two more, Taylor singled home Bourg in the sixth for the Colonels' first run of the game. But like in the seventh, the Colonels stranded two runners on base.
Game 2 – Nicholls 5, UTA 3
Haley Stevenson and
Sydney Bourg each drove in a run in the sixth as the Colonels defeated UTA, 5-3, to avenge Friday's loss to the Mavs.
The Colonels had eight hits in the win, but also received some help from UTA which committed five errors. UTA homered in the first off
Jackie Johnson before the defense allowed
Samantha Mracich to score in the second on an error.
In the fourth,
Amanda Gianelloni hit a 2-run home run to put Nicholls ahead, 3-1. It was Gianelloni's third homer of the season and gave her a team-high 11 RBIs.
UTA answered right back with two in the bottom half, which set up the Colonels' go-ahead frame in the sixth.
A leadoff two-base error allowed Gianelloni to move into scoring position, and Stevenson gave the Colonels the lead with a base hit to center. UTA retired the next two batters before Bourg singled down the line for a 5-3 advantage.
Megan Landry (7-3) took care of the rest, scattering three hits in 2.1 innings of relief. UTA posed a threat in the seventh by putting two on with two outs, but Landry forced a fly out to end the game.
Jackie Johnson made the start, pitching 4.2 innings and struck out two. She walked three and all three UTA runs were earned.
Mracich led the Colonel offense with a pair of hits and added was hit by a pitch. Mracich leads the team so far this season with a .464 batting average.
UP NEXT
The Colonels will close out play in the invitational Sunday with a 9 a.m. rematch against Wichita State.
