Nicholls State University

LAKE CHARLES, La. - The Nicholls State University softball team's late rally against No. 2 McNeese fell short in a 6-5 loss in the winner's bracket, but the Colonels bounced back to run-rule No. 7 Stephen F. Austin, 11-1, in five innings to advance to Sunday's championship round of the Lake Charles Bracket.

Nicholls (31-22) will have to knock off McNeese (37-19) twice to advance to next weekend's Southland championship series against the winner of the Hammond Bracket. Sunday's first game will be at 1 p.m. at Cowgirl Diamond.

Game 1 - McNeese 6, Nicholls 5

McNeese plated two runs in each of the first three innings and held off a late Colonel rally as Nicholls fell 6-5 in the winner's bracket.

Claire Sisco got things going late with an RBI double in the sixth, then scored on an Erin Krause groundout. 

In the seventh, singles by Lilianna Robledo and Kayleigh Lugowski led to a run off a McNeese error. Then with the bases loaded and one out, Sisco flared a sac fly to left to bring the deficit to 6-5.  Madison Moak drew a walk to reload the bases, but a lined shot to right by Krause was hauled in for the final out.

Molly Yoo took the loss with two earned runs on five hits in 2.0 innings. Averi Paden finished off the game in the circle, giving up two runs on four hits and struck out two.

After McNeese scored twice in the first, Lugowski smacked her team-high seventh homer through the gusting wind and over the center field wall. But it would be the only run Nicholls could muster until their late-inning rally. 

Lugowski was 3-for-3 at the plate while Sisco was 2-for-2 with a walk. The Colonels totaled seven hits against Maddie Taylor, who pitched 6.1 innings for the win. She left the game after six frames but when Nichols rallied against Brookelyn Taylor, Maddie re-entered to get the final out.

Onna Pruitt led McNeese by going 2-for-3 with two RBIs. 

Game 2 - Nicholls 11, SFA 1 (5 inn.)

Nicholls was the one with the fast start this time and the Colonels added seven runs in the fourth to run-rule SFA in the elimination game for the second straight season.

Sierra Ouellette threw all five innings for the win, giving up an unearned run on five hits and struck out four.

The Colonels gave her a lead to work with in the first, scoring on an error before Lilianna Robledo doubled in another run for a 2-0 lead. Then in the second, Claire Sisco drove in a run on a single and Madison Moak made it 4-0 with a sacrifice fly.

SFA took advantage of a two-out miscue by the Colonel defense in the third for their lone run of the game. 

In the Colonel fourth, the offense batted around thanks to seven hits. Laylin Sturm doubled and scored, Heflin singled in a run and Robledo followed with an RBI single for a 7-1 lead. A McNeese error made it 8-1 before Gabby Higbee singled for an RBI to put the run-rule into play.

Sisco then capped off her 3-for-3 day with a double for two insurance runs.

In the fifth, Ouellette allowed a single and issued a free pass before Erin Krause caught a liner at third and ended the game with the Colonels' second double play.

Nicholls totaled 12 hits with Robledo, Higbee and Sturm each finishing with two.

Ellie Vance led SFA with two of their five hits.