HOUSTON - The Nicholls State University softball team capped its Saturday with a 2-0 extra-inning win over the University of Houston after falling by the same score earlier in the day against Nevada in the Houston Classic.
Megan Landry (5-1) paced the Colonels against the host Cougars with an eight-inning shutout. After Nicholls scored two on an error in the eighth, Landry closed the door the door with a groundout and two strikeouts. She allowed just two hits in eight innings, struck out four and walked none.
The international tiebreaker rule was in effect, so the eighth was started with a runner on second.
Jewel Lara drew a pinch-hit walk and a
Samantha Mracich sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. The error allowed both Colonels to come home for the only runs of the game.
Nicholls had a total of three hits against UH's Savannah Heebner, who was the American Conference's co-Pitcher of the Year last year.
Emma Holland,
Melise Gossen, and
Kasey Frederick each had a single in the win.
Heebner was tagged with the loss, striking out eight in eight innings.
For Landry, she was perfect through the first time in the lineup. She gave up a leadoff single in the fourth and another in the fifth but went on to retire the final batters for the complete game win.
Against Nevada, the Colonels were limited to a leadoff single by
Kelsey Miller in a 2-0 loss.
Although Nicholls could not manufacture hits off of Nevada's Kendall Fritz, they totaled seven walks in the game.
Amanda Gianelloni and
Kali Clement drew two each.
Alexis LaBure (1-3) took the loss in 2.1 innings of work. She gave up five hits, walked five and struck out two.
Megan Landry pitched 4.2 innings of relief, surrendering just a solo home run to Rachel Rodriguez.
UP NEXT
Nicholls will close out the Houston Classic Sunday against ULM. First pitch is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.
FOLLOW ALONG
The Colonel softball team can be followed all season long on Twitter @Nicholls_SB.
