VandenBout’s homers power Nicholls’ home double-header sweep of Alcorn State

The Nicholls softball team got a blast out of playing at home for the first time this season Wednesday afternoon at Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park.

Nicholls blasted four home runs over the course of a double-header in sweeping Alcorn State 11-1 and 8-0. It was the first home date of the year for the Lady Colonels, who were 6-5 overall through 11 games on the road.

“You like to see the execution. We got to see some pitchers throw that haven’t got as many innings and they come in and did a really good job. It was fun to see. It’s always fun you’re your hitters are banging around the yard a little bit,” Nicholls coach Justin Lewis said.

A three-run shot by Molly VandenBout in the bottom of the sixth inning in the first game put the run-rule into effect. Nicholls (8-5) won the second game also by run-rule in five innings. VandenBout started the home run parade with a home run in the first inning of the opener.

VandenBout (1-0) also was the winning pitcher in the opener. Working in relief of starter Katy Sanders, VandenBout allowed no runs on one hit and one walk while striking out one in three innings of work.

In the second game of the double-header, Nicholls scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to bring that game to a close.

After scoring three runs and with two outs and runners on the corners in the inning, pinch-hitter Mckenzie Champagne singled up the middle for Nicholls’ eighth run of game to conclude the double-header.

In the second game, Nicholls pitcher Averi Paden (3-0) went the distance. She allowed no runs on one hit with six strikeouts.

The game had a bit of it all – walk-off endings, four home runs, a total of 19 hits, and some outstanding defensive play.

Sanders pitched out of trouble in the first two innings of the opener, allowing minimal damage.

She issued a walk to Kristian Edwards to start the game and a single by Hannah Miller but retired the next three batters.

In the second inning, she allowed a bloop single by Edwards to drive in a run and leave the bases loaded with one out. Sanders struck out the next two batters, allowing the one run the Lady Braves (4-7) would score over the course of the double-header.

“She’s got good stuff,” Lewis said of Sanders. “Unfortunately, she wasn’t banging the strike zone right away, but she was able to wiggle out of it. A freshman at home got the opening day start, and I’m sure there are some jitters in there, but she did good.”

Meanwhile, VandenBout set the tone for Nicholls, belting a two-run home run to left field in the bottom of the first inning to give the home team a quick 2-0 lead.

After Alcorn’s run in the top of the second inning, Nicholls extended the lead to 3-1 with a run in the bottom half of the inning before exploding for five runs in the third inning. The big blow was a three-run homer by Gabby Higbee.

With a strong, daylong wind blowing out to right field, VandenBout blasted her second home run of the game – a three-run shot to bring the first game to a close.

“It’s always nice to see, especially from some of the people that we don’t always get home runs from. It was good to see a couple from Molly VandenBout. We’re expecting her to hit quite a few of those,” Lewis said.

It wasn’t just offense and pitching in the opener. There were a pair of defensive gems in the fifth inning by Nicholls’ Erin Krause.

The Nicholls third baseman had some uncharacteristic mishandling of the ball during the Lady Colonels’ play in the Houston Classic. She was back in form against Alcorn, including starting a double-play that led to the final two outs of the fifth inning.

“She’s earning her ‘E-Money’ signature name back. She’s one of our best defenders. I knew that was kind of a fluke, but stuff like that can get in their head, and I think it did early. Like a true professional, she worked her way out of it.”

In the second game, Claire Sisco had a RBI-single in the second inning, and Brynne Songy added a run-scoring double in the third, before Samantha Gwiazda hit the fourth homer of the day for Nicholls – this one a two-run shot – for a 4-0 Nicholls lead.

A RBI-ground out by Abby Andersen, a run-scoring double by Higbee down the left field line, and a wild pitch that scored Sisco from third base, left Nicholls one run short of bringing the game to an end.

Champagne came in off the bench and got the needed single up the middle to give Nicholls the 8-0 win.

Nicholls will be back in action at the Dugout Club Classic on Friday-Sunday in Tallahassee, Fla.