YOUNGSVILLE, La. - Six runs in the first two innings were more than enough for Colonel pitching staff as the Nicholls State University softball team won its third straight game to close out the Mardi Gras Mambo, defeating Montana, 9-2, Sunday morning at the Youngsville Sports Complex.
Nicholls (4-2) pounded out eight hits to spark the hot start and
Audrey McNeill was just as dominant in the circle, tossing four hitless innings while striking out four. In her three appearances over the weekend, McNeill allowed four hits, one earned run, and fanned 12 batters in 13.0 innings.
Alexa Poche' and
Abby Andersen accounted for two hits apiece as Nicholls totaled 12 in the victory. They were also two of seven Colonels who recorded an RBI with
Laylin Sturm being the lone with two as she drove in a pair on a base hit in the sixth to make the final.
After a walk and two singles, Nicholls plated its first run in the first via a throwing error. Andersen made it 2-0 with an RBI single and
Rylie Rutherford added another on a sacrifice fly.
In the second,
Gabby Higbee and Poche' each had RBI singles with a Krause sac fly in between to double the Colonel lead to 6-0.
McNeill allowed her first base runner in the third with a walk but notched two strikeouts in the frame. She would exit the game after retiring the Grizzlies in order in the fourth.
Montana used a pair of extra-base hits in the fifth off of
Katy Sanders to end the shutout, making the score 6-2. But in the sixth, the Colonels got both runs back and another on a
Brynne Songy RBI single.
Molly Yoo pitched the final two innings, allowing a hit, no runs, and struck out two.
UP NEXT
Nicholls will head to Texas for five games in the Houston Classic, starting Friday at 9 a.m. against UTSA.
