NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Nicholls State University softball team picked up a split in its Southland-opening doubleheader at Stephen F. Austin, bouncing back from an 8-0 run-rule loss in Game 1 to earn a 4-1 victory in the night cap.
With thunderstorms expected in the forecast on Saturday, the finale has been moved up to a 9 a.m. first pitch.
Game 1 - SFA 8, Nicholls 0 (6 inn.)
SFA scored four runs in the opening inning and went on to run-rule the Colonels with an 8-0 victory in the teams' Southland opener.
Claire Sisco,
Reagan Heflin and
Erin Krause each had a hit in the loss. For SFA, Kyi'Marri Ester went 3-for-3 with four RBIs.
Molly VandenBout took the loss with two earned runs on two hits and three walks, leaving the game in the first inning.
Averi Paden pitched 4.1 innings with three earned on six hits and had one strikeout.
Alexis Telford tossed a complete game with two strikeouts.
Game 2 - Nicholls 4, SFA 1
Molly Yoo gave up a hit and a run in 2.0 innings before
Sierra Ouellette tossed five hitless frames as Nicholls evened up the series with SFA with a 4-1 victory.
Nicholls gave the pitching staff an early lead when
Brynne Songy doubled in Sisco in the first inning.
In the third, Krause and Heflin singled to start the frame and VandenBout made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly. For the SFA half, Yoo allowed a hit and hit a batter before exiting the game for Ouellette. The Ladyjacks then scored on a wild pitch to make the score 2-1.
The pitching staffs followed with three shutout frames. Then in the seventh, Nicholls added two insurance runs with a two-out rally. Sisco drove in a run with a base knock up the middle before Krause made it 4-1 with an infield single.
Ouellette issued a two-out walk before closing out the game. She walked four in the win and struck out one.
Krause led Nicholls with two hits while Sisco had two runs scored.
