THIBODAUX, La. - Melise Gossen blasted a two-run home run for the Nicholls State University softball team in its opener against New Mexico, but a big first inning for the Lobos was too much to overcome as the Colonels fell 12-3 in five innings Thursday evening on Swanner Field at GeoSurfaces Park.
New Mexico (1-0) plated six runs in the opening frame and led 9-0 in the third before Nicholls (0-1) pushed a run across on an RBI single off the bat of
Erin Krause. Down 11-1 in the fourth, Gossen sent a shot over the leftcenter wall for her sixth career long ball. But UNM added an insurance run in the fifth and went on to pick up the run-rule victory.
Nicholls was limited to three hits with
Claire Sisco adding an infield single. Amber Linton notched the win for the Lobos, striking out three while walking three.
UNM's offense cranked out 12 hits in the victory with four coming in the first inning. In the third, Maddie Boldt and Keyannah Chavez led off the frame with a homer and a double, chasing Colonel starter
Molly Yoo. The freshman took the loss, allowing eight earned runs on six hits and struck out one.
Chavez and Peyton Robinson paced New Mexico with three hits each. Robinson and Chloe Yeatts both drove in three.
ON DECK
Nicholls heads to Hammond this weekend to play Missouri State on Friday and Saturday in the Lion Classic. On Sunday, the Colonels head to Baton Rouge to face Oregon State and LSU.
