LAKE CHARLES, La. - Facing the top team in the Southland Conference standings, the Nicholls State University softball team was held to a combined seven hits and no runs as the Colonels dropped both games of Friday's doubleheader at McNeese, 6-0 and 8-0 (6 inn.), at Cowgirl Diamond.
Although the two setbacks guaranteed Nicholls (22-19, 9-8 SLC) its second series loss of the season, the Colonels will be looking to avoid their first sweep. The series finale at McNeese (31-12, 13-1 SLC) is scheduled for 1 p.m.
GAME 1 - McNeese 6, Nicholls 0
McNeese used a three-run second inning to take command of the opener and cruised to a 6-0 victory.
Nicholls was limited to three singles in the game and could not produce a run against Ashley Vallejo, who struck four in the shutout.
Claire Sisco,
Alexa Poche' and
Brynne Songy accounted for the hits, but none came in the same inning.
The Cowgirls had nine hits for the contest and connected on a pair of home runs in the second inning. Colonel starter
Audrey McNeill lasted 1.2 innings with three earned runs on five hits. After a solid showing in her start on Tuesday,
Averi Paden turned in another strong outing in relief with two earned runs on four hits in 4.1 innings.
Crislyne Moreno had one of the Cowgirls' homers and finished 2-for-3 at the plate. Brooke Otto went 3-for-3 and had an RBI double.
GAME 2 - McNeese 8, Nicholls 0 (6 inn.)
McNeese scored in each of the first three innings before going on to run-rule the Colonels to clinch a series victory.
Nicholls had one more hit than it did in Game 1 but were still unable to crack the scoring column. Sisco and Songy each had a hit again while
Molly VandenBout and
Melise Gossen added singles.
Molly Yoo tossed five innings, allowing four earned runs on eight hits in 5.0 innings. The freshman walked one and had one strikeout.
McNeese totaled 10 hits with three players recording two apiece, including Reese Reyna who had the walkoff 2-run double in the sixth off of
Brittney Turner.
Whitney Tate struck out two and walked none in the complete game victory. Nicholls threatened twice in the fourth and sixth innings but came up empty. VandenBout and Gossen's singles were back-to-back before a strikeout ended the fourth. In the sixth, Sisco blasted a leadoff double over the centerfielder but was called out at third trying to advance on a wild pitch.
The victories extended the Cowgirls' winning streak in the series against Nicholls to six games.
