YOUNGSVILLE, La. - Erin Krause hit the first home run of the season for the Nicholls State University softball team with a two-run shot in the eighth inning as the Colonels wrapped up the Mardi Gras Mambo with a 4-3 walk-off win over SIUE at the Youngsville Sports Complex.

With a runner placed on second to start extras, SIUE (2-8) took the lead in the top of the eighth when Abby Harvell snuck a two-out double down the first base line to drive in the go-ahead run. But in the bottom half with a runner on and no outs, Krause worked a full count before sending a rocket over the right field fence for the game-winner.

Krause powered the offense as she accounted for three of the Colonels' six hits and tallied three RBIs. Her base hit in the first inning started a string of three consecutive singles, capped on Reagan Heflin's RBI base knock up the middle. 

In the top of the second, SIUE took a brief lead when Haley Strain connected on a two-run home run to dead center. Then in the Colonels' at-bat, Krause tied it up with her second hit of the day.

The pitchers then combined for five shutout innings with help from the defense. In the SIUE sixth, Harvell doubled to lead off the frame but Nicholls pulled off a huge double play. On a grounder to short, Lilianna Robledo fielded it and went to third to catch Harvell in a rundown. Nicholls retired her and then threw out the batter trying to get back to first. 

In the seventh, Molly Yoo and SIUE's Avery Arwood each retired the side in order to set up the thrilling final inning.

Yoo picked up the win in relief, allowing four hits in 4.0 innings with three strikeouts. Ashley Little pitched 3.0 innings in her start and Sierra Ouellette tossed an inning and struck out one. 

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Nicholls will head to Alabama for the Troy Invitational, starting on Friday, Feb. 20.