HAMMOND, La. - After scoring four runs in the first three innings, the Nicholls State University softball team was shutout the rest of the way as Southeastern took the series with an 8-4 victory Saturday afternoon at North Oak Park.

The Colonels (23-22, 10-11 SLC) only led in the first on an Alexa Poche' sacrifice fly. Southeastern scored three in the bottom half and Nicholls tied it with two in the second. But the Lady Lions went back up 5-3 in the second and never trailed the rest of the way.

Nicholls finished with seven hits, fueled by a 3-for-4 day by Erin Krause. The freshman phenom had a hit in all three games in the series and upped her batting average to .398 on the season. 

Southeastern totaled 12 hits against three Colonel pitchers. Averi Paden made the start but quickly exited in the first inning after allowing three runs on three hits. Molly Yoo was tagged with the loss, giving up one earned run on three hits while striking out three in 1.1 innings. Audrey McNeill pitched the rest of the game, surrendering three runs on six hits. All three runs were scored in the sixth to make the final.

Poche' gave Nicholls the early lead after a walk and Krause's first hit set up her sac fly. But SLU answered with two doubles to chase Paden out of the game, then Madison Watson hit a 2-run single for a 3-1 advantage.

Nicholls used its own extra-base hits to plate two in the second. Melise Gossen doubled and then scored on a MaKynli Miller triple. The freshman shortstop found a seam in right center and legged out her second triple of the season. She scored to make it 3-3 after Lilianna Robledo dropped a base hit in left center.

Maria Detillier gave SLU back the lead in the second with an RBI double and then a dropped popout by Robledo allowed a run to score. The Lady Lions gave one back in the third after an error allowed Krause to score from third. Krause led off the frame with her fourth triple of the season.

SLU starter KK Ladner and McNeill both settled in over the next two innings before the Colonels threatened in the fifth. Krause and Poche' both singled before another SLU error filled the bags with two outs. But Ladner picked up a big strikeout against pinch-hitter Adie Brake to keep the Lady Lion lead at 5-4.

SLU then added three insurance runs in the sixth en route to its sixth series victory. 

Ladner tossed all seven innings, striking out six while allowing three earned runs. 

ON DECK
The Colonels close out the regular season at home with four games, starting Wednesday, April 26 against Southern. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.