HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Leading 3-0 after five innings, the Nicholls State University softball team was unable to complete the season sweep against Southern Miss as the Golden Eagles rallied for five runs in the sixth for a 5-3 victory on Wednesday night.

Molly Yoo allowed just one hit through five while Gabby Higbee provided the offense by blasting a three-run home run in the second inning. But Southern Miss tagged Yoo for four hits in the sixth to tie the game, then took the lead on a bunt and added another run on an RBI double by Maddie Weeks off of Averi Paden.

Nicholls (19-17) went down in order in the seventh as Southern Miss avenged a loss in Thibodaux last month.

Along with Higbee, the Colonels received hits from Claire Sisco, Molly VandenBout and Samantha Gwiazda. A walk and an error set up Higbee's fifth homer of the season as she drilled the first pitch she saw over the right field wall. 

Yoo was dominant out the gate, striking out three batters in the opening inning. She allowed a single in the second before retiring the next nine Golden Eagles. But after giving up a walk in the fifth, Southern Miss finally got to her in the sixth.

Jana Lee picked up the win for Southern Miss (16-18) after allowing just one hits in 3.0 innings of relief. She also accounted for one of USM's six hits in the victory. 

ON DECK
Nicholls returns home to host Texas A&M-Commerce for a three-game series, starting Friday, April 5 with a 4 p.m. doubleheader.