VandenBout drives in winning runs in softball team’s 2-1 win over Charleston Southern

The Nicholls softball team broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the sixth inning and then held off Charleston Southern for a 2-1 win Sunday morning in the final game of the Dugout Club Classic in Tallahassee, Fla.

Walks issued to Laylin Strum and Madison Levsey opened the bottom of the sixth inning, with both runners advancing a base on sacrifice bunt by Erin Krause before scoring on a single to left field by Molly VandenBout.

In the top of the seventh inning, a walk by Madelyne Lee off of Nicholls pitcher Audrey McNeill and single by Charlee Yourman put runners on the corners with one out.

Emma Villaescusa reached base on a fielder’s choice, allowing Lee to score to make it a one-run game.

The Nicholls pitcher got Kendal Cook and Gracie Prince each to ground out to end the game.

McNeill (5-4) went the distance, allowing one run on five hits and one walk, while striking out four in seven innings.

The win allowed Nicholls to finish 3-2 in the tournament as the Lady Colonels improved to 11-7 overall.

Nicholls opened the three-day tournament with a pair of wins over Florida International on Friday. The Lady Colonels then dropped two games to nationally-ranked Florida State, 5-4 and 8-0 on Saturday.

VandenBout had another big series for Nicholls. In 15 at-bats, she had seven hits, scored three runs, hit two home runs, and had five RBI.

Nicholls 11, FIU 1: McNeill went the distance, allowing one run over seven innings while Nicholls pounded out 14 hits in taking the opening game of the tournament on Friday morning.

The only run McNeill (4-4) allowed came on a run-scoring double by Ashton Landsdell in the sixth inning after Nicholls already had produced seven runs of its own.

Alexa Poche led things off with a two-run home run in the top of the first inning.

After Nicholls (9-5) added two more runs in the second inning, a run-scoring single by Abby Andersen in the third inning, and an RBI-single by Samantha Gwiazda in the fourth extended the lead to 6-0.

Gabby Higbee hit a solo home run in the sixth inning before Nicholls added four more runs in the seventh on a two-run double by Andersen, a sacrifice fly by Higbee, and an RBI-double by Gwiazda.

Nicholls 3, FIU 0: Nicholls made it two-in-a-row over FIU later in the day with the shutout win.

Nicholls (10-5) got all the runs it would need in a three-run fourth inning.

Andersen gave Nicholls a 1-0 lead with a run-scoring single. After a wild pitch scored the second run, Rylie Rutherford drove in Claire Sisco with a single to left field for the final run of the inning.

Molly Yoo (2-1) picked up the win. She allowed no runs on three hits and one walk, while striking out three.

Florida State 5, Nicholls 4: Molly VandenBout had her second two-homer game of the season, but the Lady Colonels surrendered two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning in suffering the one-run loss.

Nicholls broke a 3-3 tie with a run in the top of the seventh inning on a solo home run by Higbee.

Jaysoni Beachum opened the inning by reaching base on an error. Pinch-runner Annie Potter stole second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch by McNeill. A double to left by Hallie Wacaser scored Potter to tie the game. Michaela Edenfield followed with a single up the middle for the game-winning run.

A solo home run by VandenBout in the top of the first inning staked Nicholls to an early lead before Florida State tied the game in the bottom half of the inning.

Nicholls (10-6) regained the lead at 3-1 in the third inning on a two-run homer by VandenBout before Florida State again tied the game with two runs in the fifth inning.

McNeill (4-5) suffered the loss, allowing two runs, one of which was earned, on three hits and two walks, while striking out two in 2 1/3 innings.

Florida State 8, Nicholls 0: The Seminoles powered their way to a second win over Nicholls on a pair of home runs by Beachum, and a two-run shot by Edenfield in the bottom of the fifth inning to put the run-rule into effect.

Rutherford provided the only two hits for Nicholls (10-7).

Yoo (2-2) picked up the loss, allowing five runs on seven hits, while striking out one batter in four innings.