ZACHARY, La. – After an hour-and-45-minute delay to start the game, the Nicholls State University softball team jumped all over Southern University with six runs in the first two innings before going on to win, 7-4, Tuesday evening at Zachary Youth Park.
Nicholls (24-10) had nine hits in the victory, led by two by
Amanda Gianelloni and
Moriah Strother. Gianelloni drove in the game's first run with a single to right in the first and added two more RBIs with a single in the second.
Alexis LaBure (6-4) tossed 4.0 innings for the win, striking out three while allowing one earned run. She gave up two doubles in the first frame before settling down to shut down the Lady Jaguars the rest of the outing.
Amanda Holliday picked up her third save of the year after 3.0 innings of relief. She struck out four and gave up three runs on three hits and three walks.
Southern had two errors in the first, with the second coming on a base hit by
Kasey Frederick. With two on and no outs, Frederick singled to right, and the Southern outfielder booted the ball, allowing an additional run to come home for a 3-0 Colonel advantage.
In the second, Strother singled, and
Brooklyn Devine walked to set up Gianelloni's two-run hit. Gianelloni would score on a
Kali Clement sacrifice fly to center for a 6-1 lead.
After Nicholls left the bases loaded in the third and fourth innings, Southern climbed back into the game with three runs in the fifth against Holliday. The home team used an RBI single by Jamani Greer, a sac bunt, and a two-out base hit from Alison Walton to make the score 6-4.
The Colonels added an insurance run in the seventh on a base hit to center by Strother.
Jewel Lara scored on the play after reaching third on a one-out triple.
In the seventh, Holliday had two strikeouts before walking one but ended the game on a popup.
UP NEXT
Nicholls will host Abilene Christian for a three-game series this weekend, starting with a Friday doubleheader at 4 p.m.
