THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University softball team used a three-run fifth inning to take the lead against UIW and went on to notch its first league win of the season with a 5-3 victory Saturday afternoon at Swanner Field.
 
Nicholls (7-13, 1-8 SLC) started the rally with one down in the frame, getting back-to-back singles by Ashlyn Reavis and Kelsey Miller. Kennedy Hebert trimmed the deficit with an RBI double before Miller scored on a wild pitch. Caitlin Garcia then gave the Colonels a 4-3 lead with her own run-scoring double.
 
The Colonels added one more in the sixth, thanks to another double – this time by Emma Holland. She led off the inning with the hit and later scored on a Danielle Duplay groundout.
 
Taryn Westbrook (1-1) allowed a single in the seventh before going on to pick up her first win of the season. She tossed 4.0 innings of relief and struck out four while surrendering two hits. Jordan Moon made the start, lasting 3.0 innings with three earned on five hits.
 
Nicholls totaled 11 hits against UIW after being limited to eight in the doubleheader sweep on Friday. Reavis, Miller, Garcia and Holland each finished with two hits. 
 
UIW was led by Savanna Behabetz, who helped the Cardinals take a 3-0 lead in the top of the first after her 2-run single. Nicholls got one back in the bottom on via a Melise Gossen RBI single. 
 
Annie Gunther suffered the loss, allowing four earned on nine hits in 4.1 innings. 
 
UP NEXT
The Colonels continue their home stand with four games this week at Swanner Field. Tuesday's matchup against Southern is a makeup game from earlier this season with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. Nicholls then hosts Southeastern Louisiana for a three-game series, starting Friday with a single game at 5 p.m.