HAMMOND, La. - The Nicholls State University softball team was unable to produce any late-inning magic Saturday afternoon against Southern Illinois in a 7-6 loss, but the Colonels rallied back with three unanswered runs to defeat San Jose State, 3-2, to earn a split in the second day of the Lion Classic at North Oak Park.
Nicholls (2-1) will finish the weekend with two games on Sunday. First will be another matchup with San Jose State (3-2) at 10 a.m., and the Colonels close out the event against Northern Illinois at noon.
GAME 1 - Southern Illinois 7, Nicholls 6
Amanda Gianelloni powered Nicholls to a 4-0 early lead behind a 2-run homer and a run-scoring double, but Southern Illinois scored the next seven runs and held off a comeback to knock off the Colonels, 7-6.
Trailing 7-4,
Samantha Dares sent one over the wall for a 2-run shot in the sixth to pull Nicholls within a run. In the seventh, the Colonels drew a pair of walks but SIU's Brianna Jones struck out two to end the game.
The Colonels outhit the Salukis, 11-6, but walks and errors proved costly.
Alexis LaBure (0-1) issued seven free passes in her first start of the season, allowing three earned runs on four hits in 3.2 innings.
Jordan Moon walked a pair in relief and had one earned on two hits. SIU took advantage of two fielding errors, scoring an unearned run both times.
Gianelloni went 3-for-3 at the plate but was charged with an error in SIU's four-run third that tied the game.
Emma Holland had two hits and drove in a run, while
Kelsey Miller finished 2-for-2.
Claire Miller picked up the win for SIU, scattering 10 hits with six runs. Katelyn Massa led the offense with three RBIs on 2-of-3.
GAME 2 - Nicholls 3, San Jose State 2
San Jose State used a pair of solo home runs in the fourth to break a scoreless tie before Nicholls plated three runs, highlighted by a run-scoring single by
Veronica Villafranco in the seventh for a 3-2 victory.
Caitlin Garcia hit her second home run in as many days, cutting the deficit in half in the fifth. The Colonels then took advantage of a Spartan fielding error after Villafranco reached on a single. The next batter,
Jewel Lara, tied the game with a single to left center.
In the sixth, San Jose State threatened to take the lead with a one-out double, but
Megan Landry (2-0) fanned the next two batters to keep the game tied.
The late-inning heroics in the seventh started on a
Kasey Frederick single, and a miscue by the right fielder allowed her to move into scoring position. Villafranco then delivered a hard single in the gap in left center, and Frederick raced home for a 3-2 lead.
Landry quickly disposed of San Jose State in the seventh, retiring the lineup in order for the second complete game.
Landry struck out seven in the win and gave up six hits. Her counterpart, Jenessa Ullegue (1-1), also allowed six hits in seven innings and struck out eight.
Villafranco was the lone Colonel with a multi-hit effort.
ADMISSION
Admission to all Colonel home games at the Swanner Field is free of charge. Nicholls makes its home debut next Wednesday (Feb. 13) against Southern Miss.
FOLLOW ALONG
The Colonel softball team can be followed all season long on Twitter @Nicholls_SB.
