SOUTHLAND PHOTO GALLERY
NATCHITOCHES, La. – The Nicholls State University softball team dropped out of the winner's bracket in the Southland Conference Tournament as No. 1 seed Sam Houston State used a walkoff homerun in the ninth to defeat the No. 2 Colonels, 2-0, Thursday evening at Lady Demon Diamond.
With the loss, Nicholls (33-21) will now face the winner of Stephen F. Austin and McNeese, which was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. The Colonels are scheduled to start tonight (Thursday) for a chance to play for the Southland title a third straight year.
The Southland's two first-team pitchers squared off and the matchup lived up to the billing. The Colonels'
Megan Landry (26-11) and Sam Houston's Lindsey McLeod (20-8) combined to keep the opposition scoreless through eight innings. But after a leadoff error for put a runner on for the Bearkats, Brooke Maila ended it with a 2-run homer over the left center wall.
Landry was charged with the loss, allowing five hits and an earned run while striking out three. In a span that lasted from the third to the eighth inning, Landry retired 15 straight Bearkats.
The Colonels had four hits, led by a double from freshman
Melise Gossen.
Kasey Frederick,
Samantha Mracich and
Samantha Dares each had a single.
McLeod struck out eight for the Bearkats and stranded a runner at third in the third and seventh innings. The Colonels also threatened with a leadoff Mracich single in the eighth but were unable to produce a run.
