THIBODAUX, La. - Senior Averi Paden shut down Southeastern in a complete game effort, lifting the Nicholls State University softball team to a 3-1 victory in the series opener, but for the third straight series, the Colonels fell short of a doubleheader sweep as the Lions bounced back with an 8-3 win in the nightcap on Friday night on Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park. 

After Friday's league results, Nicholls (27-19, 15-8 SLC) is tied with UIW for second place and lead Lamar by 1.0 game and McNeese by 0.5 games. The No. 2 seed in the standings will host one half of the Southland Conference Tournament bracket.

One side will be hosted by Southeastern (40-11, 20-2 SLC) as the Lions clinched their first-ever season title and the No. 1 seed. Nicholls and SLU will battle it out for the series on Saturday with a noon first pitch.

Game 1 - Nicholls 3, Southeastern 1

The Colonels jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innings and Averi Paden took care of the rest, limiting the Lions to five hits and a late run in the 3-1 victory.

Paden stuck out two and walked two, forcing 13 groundouts which included one double play. She also forced another double play on a lineout.

Nicholls wasted no time against Haley Crawford as Claire Sisco reached on an infield single. Following a sacrifice bunt, Erin Krause ripped a base hit down the first-base line for the 1-0 lead. Macie LaRue took over in the circle and finished the rest of the game for SLU.

In the second with a runner on second and two outs, Sisco went back up the middle for an RBI. Madison Moak then blasted a shot off the centerfield walk for the 3-0 advantage.

The Colonels' first double play ended the third, then after retiriing the Lions in order in the fourth, Lilianna Robledo caught a hard liner at short and doubled up the runner at first to help get out of the fifth. 

SLU made a late rally with a one-out RBI single by Brilee Ford, but Paden retired the final two batters to wrap up her complete game.

Sisco and Moak led the offesne with two hits and Brynne Songy added a single.

Game 2 - Southeastern 8, Nicholls 3

Southeastern turned the tables in Game 2 as they held Nicholls to three hits in an 8-3 victory.

Hallie Burns allowed a homer by Madison Moak in the first but gave up just two more hits in five innings of work. Cera Blanchard finished off the strong showing with 2.0 hitless innings of relief.

For the Colonels, Molly Yoo gave up an RBI single in the first to Maria Detillier. After Moak launched her sixth homer of the year in the bottom half, the next two innings went scoreless.

SLU took advantage of a Colonel error in the fourth for a 2-1 lead. Then in the fifth, back-to-back RBI doubles chased Yoo out of the game. SLU added another RBI single in the frame before making it 6-1 in the sixth. 

Nicholls scored twice in the bottom half thanks to three walks and a Lion error. However, SLU got the runs back in the seventh to make the final.

Moak scored twice while Lilianna Robledo and Reagan Heflin added a base hit. Yoo lasted 4.1 innings with four earned runs on seven hits.

Kullivan was one of three Lions with two hits as SLU racked up 11 hits in the win.