LAKE CHARLES, La. - The Nicholls State University softball team rallied in the seventh inning to force extras for the third consecutive game, but unlike the previous two, the Colonels came up short as Northwestern State used a six-run eighth to drop Nicholls into the elimination round with an 8-2 defeat late Tuesday night at Cowgirl Diamond.
With the loss, Nicholls (27-23) will take on No. 7 HCU at 4 p.m. on Wednesday in a win-or-go-home matchup. The Colonels swept the Huskies in their regular season finale, but the final two wins were in extra innings.
Nicholls rallied twice against HCU and used the same formula Tuesday against No. 6 Northwestern State (25-25). In Game 2 of the HCU series,
Claire Sisco made a diving catch with the bases loaded in the eighth inning to prevent the Huskies from taking the lead. The rookie centerfielder had another momentum swinging play against NSU, throwing out a runner at the plate in the seventh to keep the deficit at 2-0.
The Colonel seventh was set up perfectly with their three All-Southland selections due up.
Erin Krause doubled to start things off and
Alexa Poche', who was celebrating her 21st birthday, smashed an RBI double into the gap.
Brianna McFaddin pinch ran and stole third, then
Molly VandenBout slapped a shot up the middle and it was mishandled, but still received the RBI that tied the game at 2-2.
But as quickly as the Colonels evened the score, the tie evaporated just as fast. Kat Marshall led off the extra frame with a solo home run off of
Molly Yoo, who had tossed 4.0 shutout innings in relief before the homer. Things continued to get worse for the Red and Gray as back-to-back triples extended the lead and another run-scoring single made it 6-2. Marshall came up again with the bases loaded and capped the inning with two more RBIs on a double. The Colonels used a total a three pitchers in the inning with VandenBout (2 ER) and
Averi Paden (1 ER) each surrendering runs.
Nicholls put its first two runners on in the bottom half, started with a
Mckenzie Champagne leadoff single, but the next three batters were retired to close it out.
The Colonels were outhit in the loss, 14-4, and did not have a hit against Maggie Darr until
Melise Gossen doubled in the fifth.
Audrey McNeill made the start in the circle, allowing a run in the second and third innings. She finished with two earned runs on five hits in 3.0 innings.
ON DECK
Nicholls and HCU will play in the elimination round Wednesday with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. The game can be watched on ESPN+.
