Krause - SLC Title Bracket
Arief Harlan
3
Nicholls NICH 31-24
4
Winner Southeastern SLU 46-13
Nicholls NICH
31-24
3
Final
4
Southeastern SLU
46-13
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Nicholls NICH 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 3 5 2
Southeastern SLU 0 0 3 0 1 0 X 4 8 1

W: LaRue, Macie (19-2) L: Paden, Averi (10-7)

Game Recap: Softball |

Colonels Fall in Bracket Championship to SLU, 4-3

HAMMOND, La. - The No. 3 seed Nicholls State University softball team plated a pair of runs in the second inning before No. 2 Southeastern answered with a three-spot in the third as the Lady Lions went on to claim a 4-3 victory Saturday afternoon to win the Hammond Bracket of the Southland Conference Tournament.

Nicholls wraps up the season with a 31-24 overall record after going 2-2 in the postseason for the third consecutive year. The Colonels had an impressive midseason turnaround as they closed out the year with a 21-4 mark. 

Southeastern (46-13) advances to next weekend's championship series against the winner of the Lake Charles Bracket.

The Colonels' promising start began with a double by Riley Rutherford which put runners in scoring position. A walk loaded the bases and with two down, Laylin Sturm drove in the first run via an infield single. Claire Sisco was then hit by a pitch, making it 2-0. 

After two hitless innings by Averi Paden, SLU started its third-inning rally with a leadoff triple by Coleen Kulivan. The Lady Lions tied it on an RBI single and with the bases loaded and one out, Ally Mooneyham was able to make a diving stop at short and get the runner out at second, but two runs scored on the play for a 3-2 advantage.

In the fifth, Nicholls put two runners on after Erin Krause singled and Molly VandenBout was hit by a pitch. But Macie LaRue forced two grounders to third to keep the lead. In the bottom half, Maria Detillier drove in what turned out to be the deciding run on a single through the left side.

With the Colonels down to their final out in the seventh, Krause singled to bring the tying run up to bat. VandenBout then sent a laser shot to left field for an RBI double to bring Nicholls within a run. However, LaRue got a flyout to center for the final out and sent SLU to the championship series. 

Paden pitched 5.0 innings for the Colonels, allowing three earned runs on seven hits and struck out one. Molly Yoo tossed an inning of relief, stranding two runners in the sixth to keep the Colonels within striking distance.

For SLU, LaRue struck out four in 5.1 innings. Britney Lewinski made the start, lasting 1.2 innings with two earned runs on two hits and three walks.

Brilee Ford had a 2-for-3 day to pace the Lady Lion offense.