Late-game heroics favor USM this time around in Nicholls’ 5-3 loss in softball

The late-game dramatics this time around belonged to the University of Southern Mississippi softball team.

When Nicholls and USM met less than two weeks ago in Thibodaux, Mckenzie Champagne hit a home run in the ninth inning to give the Lady Colonels a 7-6 win.

Dramatics didn’t seem to be in the cards through the first five innings Wednesday night in Hattiesburg, Miss.

Gabby Higbee staked Nicholls (19-17) to the early lead with a three-run home run in the bottom of the second inning. With Nicholls starting pitcher Molly Yoo allowing only one hit through five innings, the Lady Colonels seemed well on their way to a sweep of the two games of the season series.

Then came the bottom of the sixth inning and the third time through the Golden Eagles batting order for Yoo.

A single by Hannah Borden started things off for Southern Mississippi (16-18). Jana Lee followed with a double to put two runners aboard with no outs.

A single right over the head of leaping Nicholls second baseman Claire Sisco by Natalie Taylor drove in the first run of the inning for USM. A single to left field by Maria Smith made it a 3-2 ball game.

Ryanna Valdivia’s sacrifice bunt advanced runners to third and second with one out.

Kinsley Gordon hit a ground ball to Nicholls shortstop Samantha Gwiazda. Gwiazda elected to try for the out at home plate, but Taylor was safe, tying the game 3-3.

Averi Paden entered the game in relief of Yoo. A successful suicide squeeze by Kayla Agner scored Smith to give Southern Miss a 4-3 lead.

USM added another run on a double by Maddie Weeks to give the Golden Eagles a two-run lead going to the seventh inning.

Lee, a two-way player who went to the mound in the fifth inning, retired Nicholls in order in the seventh inning to give Southern Mississippi the 5-3 win.

The Lady Colonels seemed to be cruising along after scoring three unearned runs in the second inning.

With one out, Champagne, the Nicholls hero in the first game between the teams, drew a walk.

After Erin Krause reached base on an error, Molly VandenBout reached base on an error when she hit a grounder that should have been the final out of the inning.

Given extra life because of the error, Higbee belted a three-run home run to right field for a 3-0 Nicholls lead that would hold up through five innings.

Yoo (5-5) took the loss. She allowed five runs on five hits and one walk, while striking out four in 5 1/3 innings.

Lee (5-5), who replaced starter Holly Craft, picked up the win. She allowed no runs on one hit, while striking out three in three innings.

Nicholls will be back in action when it hosts Texas A&M-Commerce in a three-game series beginning Friday. The teams are scheduled to play a double-header beginning at 4 p.m. Friday. The final game of the series is slated for noon on Saturday.