THIBODAUX, La. - The Nicholls State University softball team fell 4-2 in eight innings in its Southland Conference opener against UIW, but the Colonel bats came alive in Game 2 as the Red and Gray split the doubleheader with a 10-2 run-rule victory Friday at Swanner Field at GeoSurfaces Park.
The Colonels (14-9, 1-1 SLC0 will go for the series win on Saturday. First pitch against UIW (9-9-1, 1-1 SLC) is scheduled for noon.
GAME 1 - UIW 4, Nicholls 2 (8 innings)
After taking a 2-1 lead in the fifth, Nicholls allowed UIW to tie the game in the sixth before the Cardinals pushed two across in the extra frame for a 4-2 victory over the Colonels.
The offense was limited to two hits -- an
Samantha Gwiazda single and a double by
Alexa Poche'. In the fourth, Poche' delivered a sacrifice fly that made the game 1-1.
Gwiazda's leadoff single resulted in a 2-1 advantage for the Colonels in the fifth. She singled up the middle off of Aaliyah Garcia and moved to third following a stolen base and a sacrifice bunt.
Abby Andersen then drew a walk and never stopped running, looking to get in a rundown. It allowed Gwiazda to sprint home and beat the throw to the plate for the lead.
But UIW answered in the sixth thanks to a leadoff triple by Victoria Altamirano. Colonel starter pitcher
Molly Yoo nearly left her stranded on third by retiring the next two batters, but Ryleigh Mata reached on an infield single to knot the game at 2-2.
In the extra inning, Altamirano struck again with an RBI double and then scored on a groundout. In the Colonels' final at-bat, the lone runner to reach was Andersen with a walk as Garcia closed out the complete game.
Yoo took the loss despite a strong outing. She tossed all 8.0 innings, allowing four earned runs on eight hits while striking out three. Garcia struck out five Colonels and walked three.
GAME 2 - Nicholls 10, UIW 2 (5 innings)
The Colonels wasted no time in the second matchup, scoring five runs in the first inning en route to a 10-2 run-rule victory in five innings.
Nicholls started the game with back-to-back singles before
Erin Krause tripled for a 2-0 lead.
Melise Gossen followed with a towering 2-run homer to double the lead. Poche' capped the inning with an RBI single.
The Colonels then put the run-rule into play with two runs via sac flies and another on an error in the third and fourth innings. But in the fifth, Altamirano continued her stellar day at the plate with a 2-run homer to prevent the early ending.
However, the Colonels countered right back.
Molly VandenBout led off with a hard liner for a single and Gwiazda followed with a base hit through the right side.
MaKynli Miller made it 9-2 with a sacrifice fly before Andersen roped a single to left for the walkoff victory.
Audrey McNeill notched the victory, throwing 5.0 innings with four strikeouts. She allowed five hits including the late home run.
Nicholls totaled nine hits with Gwiazda and Andersen finishing with two each.
