COMMERCE, Texas - Another stellar offensive output for the Nicholls State University softball team resulted in a 13-6 victory at East Texas A&M on Sunday morning.
Nicholls (19-20, 9-6 SLC) extended its winning streak to nine games while also registering double figures in hits for each game during the streak. The Colonels totaled 17 in Sunday's victory which helped the squad secure their second Southland sweep in a row.
Seven Colonels had at least two hits with
Reagan Heflin,
Lilianna Robledo, and
Laylin Sturm racking up three apiece. In the circle,
Averi Paden picked up her fourth straight win, allowing five earned runs on 11 hits and struck out four.
Both teams scored in the first with Heflin putting Nicholls up 1-0 with an RBI single. But the Lions ended Paden's string of 13 shutout innings with a solo homer by Tatum Wright.
In the second,
Riley Rutherford had her first of two doubles on the day, bringing in Robledo, then a double steal with an obstruction call at home gave Nicholls a 3-1 lead. Krause followed with an infield single and Sturm was able to make it to the plate from second base.
East Texas A&M plated a run in the second and third to bring the score to 4-3, but the Colonels exploded for seven runs in the fourth.
The first run scored on a throwing error, then Sisco tallied her 16th double of the season for two more runs. Krause had another RBI base hit, Heflin drove in two on her single, then Robledo capped the inning with an RBI single up the middle.
Trailing 11-3, the Lions received a solo shot by Stephanie Tapia, her third of the series, before adding another run on an error.
After a scoreless fifth, the Colonels put the run-rule into play with sacrifice flies by Rutherford and
Carmella Muccilli. However, East Texas answered with its own sac fly to avoid the run-rule.
Paden worked a three-up, three-down seventh to finish off the sweep.
The nine-game winning streak for the Colonels is the longest since a 10-game streak in 2019.
ON DECK
Nicholls will have a quick turnaround with a three-game midweek series at home against HCU. Tuesday's (April 8) doubleheader is scheduled for 4 p.m.
