MONROE, La. - The Nicholls State University softball team led 3-1 in the sixth inning at ULM but the Warhawks rallied for three runs in the bottom half as the Colonels dropped the opening game of the series, 4-3, Friday night at the ULM Softball Complex.

All three games in the series last year in Thibodaux were decided by a single run and Friday's proved to be the same. The teams will wrap up the three-game set on Saturday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.

Both teams pushed across a run in the third with Claire Sisco driving in the Colonels' on a sac fly. After ULM tied it up, Molly VandenBout muscled her fifth home run over the right center wall for a 2-1 advantage. Alexa Poche' made it 3-1 in the sixth with an RBI single to left.

ULM started its sixth-inning rally with two hits to lead off the frame -- the second being a double by Andie Edwards. A wild pitch allowed the tying run to plate and then ULM went up 4-3 after scoring on a sac bunt. Nicholls was retired in order in the seventh.

Reagan Heflin and Erin Krause had the other two hits for the Colonels -- both being doubles. Krause's led off the third and she came around to score the game's first run.

Molly Yoo took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits in 3.0 innings. Audrey McNeill made the start, lasting 3.0 innings with one run on two hits.