THIBODAUX, La. - Playing at home for the first time this season, the Nicholls State University softball team could not hang onto a late lead in Game 1 against rival Southeastern before the Lady Lions cruised in the night cap, as the Colonels fell 10-4 and 11-2 Friday at Swanner Field.
Nicholls (10-27, 2-6 SLC), which played its first 35 games on the road, will wrap up the series against Southeastern (28-12, 6-2 SLC)Â on Saturday at noon. The weekend series is the start of a seven-game homestand for the Colonels.
Game 1 - Southeastern 10, Nicholls 4
Nicholls grabbed a brief 4-3 lead in the fifth inning before SLU answered a seven-run sixth to take the opener.
Paris Lehman (5-11) took the loss, allowing seven earned runs on nine hits in 5.1 innings. She gave up three runs in the first including a leadoff homer to Aeriyl Mass but was able to settle in with four shutout innings. But she ran into trouble in the fifth after the Colonels took the lead.
Melise Gossen also homered in the first, cutting the early deficit to 3-2. It was the second of the season for Gossen, who also drew a pair of walks.Â
Nicholls played small ball in the fifth as
Shelby Devine and
Danielle Duplay each got on base via infield singles. Gossen walked and
Alexa Poche' tied the game on a sacrifice fly. After an error loaded the bases again,
Kennedy Hebert hit a would-be bloop single to left. But while the go-ahead run scored on the play, the runner was thrown out at third on a force out.Â
The Lady Lions rallied with five hits in the sixth. Two were doubles and Bailey Krolczyk highlighted the frame with a 2-run single.
Nicholls was limited to a pair of walks the rest of the game.
Heather Zumo notched her 14th win of the season for SLU. For the Colonels,
Taryn Westbrook tossed 1.2 innings with one earned run and two strikeouts.
Game 2 - Southeastern 11, Nicholls 2
Southeastern racked up six doubles and two home runs to clinch the series against the Colonels.
Nicholls trailed 11-0 in the seventh before
Shelby Devine hit a 2-run home run for the first of her career. It was one of nine hits for Nicholls, with Duplay being the lone Colonel with two hits.
The Lady Lions received big offensive outings from Mass (four hits), Maddie Watson (three) and Lexi Johnson (three doubles). Watson and Audrey Greely each homered for the visitors.
Brittney Turner surrendered five earned runs on five hits in 4.1 innings for the Colonels. Westbrook pitched the rest of the game, also allowing five runs.Â
KK Ladner struck out five in 4.1 shutout innings to pick up the win.Â
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