THIBODAUX, La. - The Nicholls State University softball team opened its home slate with a doubleheader sweep against Alcorn, run-ruling the Lady Braves, 11-1 in six innings and 8-0 in five innings, on Wednesday afternoon at Swanner Field at GeoSurfaces Park.
With the wins, the Colonels improved their record to 8-5 overall. Nicholls will head to Tallahassee this weekend for five games in Florida State's Dugout Club Classic.
Game 1 - Nicholls 11, Alcorn 1 (6 inn.)
Molly VandenBout started the game with a two-run home run and ended it in the sixth with a three-run shot as the Colonels run-ruled Alcorn, 11-1, in the doubleheader opener.
VandenBout also picked up the win in relief, throwing 3.0 shutout innings with one hit allowed.
Katy Sanders made the start, going 3.0 innings with an earned run on five hits.
Nicholls finished with eight hits, led by VandenBout's 3-for-5 outing.
Erin Krause went 2-for-4 with two RBIs while
Gabby Higbee hit her first career homer to highlight a five-run third inning.
Following VandenBout's opening long ball, Alcorn scored in the second on an RBI single by Kristian Edwards. But the Colonels got the run right back as Krause drove in
Claire Sisco, who walked and stole second.
In the third, three walks and a wild pitch led to a 4-1 advantage. The next batter, Higbee, sent a 2-2 pitch over the right field fence for a three-run shot. Krause made it 8-1 with an RBI triple.
Neither team scored in the fourth and fifth innings before the Colonels ended the game early. Krause doubled to lead off the frame and
Reagan Heflin followed with a single. Facing an 0-2 count, VandenBout blasted a shot to dead center for the game-ending homer.
Ashanti Carter suffered the loss, allowing seven earned runs in 2.1 innings.
Game 2 - Nicholls 8, Alcorn 0 (5 inn.)
Averi Paden tossed a one-hitter while the Colonel offense surged late with six runs to complete the doubleheader sweep with a five-inning victory.
Paden was a bunt single away from throwing a no-hitter but went on to notch a shutout by fanning six batters. She improved to 3-0 on the season with the complete game victory.
Heflin, Sisco and
Samantha Gwiazda each had two-hit efforts. Gwiazda's two-run homer in the fourth gave Nicholls a 4-0 lead. Sisco plated the first run with an RBI single in the second before
Brynne Songy drove in one in the third with an RBI double.
The decisive fifth frame was started on an RBI groundout off the bat of
Abby Andersen. Sisco then found just enough room down the left field line for a run-scoring double and would come around to score on a wild pitch. With runners on the corners and two down, pinch-hitter
Mckenzie Champagne smoked a single up the middle for the walk-off win.
Olivia Miller had the lone hit for Alcorn. Kiri Parker allowed five earned runs in 4.2 innings.
