Northwestern pitcher Swanson stifles Nicholls bats in taking two of three SLC series games

Nicholls was never able to figure out Houston Christian pitcher Lyndie Swanson, and as a result, the Lady Colonels dropped two of three games of their Southland Conference series in Houston.

Swanson pitched all 10 innings in HCU’s 5-1 win Saturday afternoon in the series finale. In the opening game of a double-header on Friday, Swanson went the distance in a 4-0 win for the Huskies.

Nicholls won the second game of the double-header on Friday 7-1 to avoid a series sweep.

The results left Nicholls 10-5 in the Southland and 23-19 overall. HCU doubled its conference win total in the series, moving to 4-11 in league play and 17-20 overall.

Nicholls managed 22 hits over the course of the three games, but the Lady Colonels were unable to produce timely hits, scoring a total of one run in their two losses.

In Saturday’s game, Swanson (6-6) allowed one run on seven hits and one walk, while striking out three.

The Huskies won the game in grand fashion with a walk-off four-bagger by Haylie Savage off of Nicholls relief pitcher Averi Paden.

After Abriana Garcia opened the inning with a single, Juls Garcia reached base on a fielder’s choice for the first out of the inning. Jasie Roberts and Kaicey Hagler followed with singles to left field, loading the bases.

Savage belted her grand slam to center field to give Houston Christian the win.

HCU took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a run-scoring single by Maddie Bailey that followed a leadoff double by Savage.

Nicholls tied the game with a run in the fifth inning.

Gabby Higbee led off the inning with a double to left field and advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Rylie Rutherford. Pinch-hitter Alexa Poche drove in Higbee on a sacrifice fly that would eventually send the game to extra innings.

Averi Paden (7-3) suffered the loss. She had pitched six innings of shutout ball in relief of starter Audrey McNeill before giving up the grand slam.

McNeill allowed one run while pitching the first three innings.

Nicholls 7, Houston Christian 1: After being blanked in the opening game, the Lady Colonels scored quickly with a pair of runs in the first inning of the second game on the way to earning a double-header split on Friday.

Reagan Heflin started things off with a one-out double. After Heflin stole third base, she stole home when Ern Krause walked, giving Nicholls its first run of the day.

Mckenzie Champagne, who had three hits and three runs batted in during the game, drove in Krause with a two-out single up the middle.

HCU got one of the runs back in the bottom half of the first inning

With the bases loaded and one out, Bailey hit into a run-scoring ground out to make it 2-1.

Paden struck out Brena Herrera to avoid further damage and HCU would not score again the remainder of the game.

Champagne added a run-scoring ground out in the third inning to make it 3-1.

Heflin added a run-scoring single and Krause an RBI-double in the fourth inning to make it 5-1.

Nicholls rounded out the scoring with two runs in the seventh inning. The first came from an error, with the final run coming on a run-scoring double by Champagne.

Paden picked up the complete-game victory. She allowed one run on four hits and struck out three.

HCU starter Ronni Grofman (5-8) suffered the loss. Grofman allowed five runs on seven hits and three walks, while striking out eight in five innings.

Houston Christian 4, Nicholls 0: The Huskies scored two runs in each of the fourth and sixth innings to blank Nicholls in the opening game of the double-header.

After Hagler reached base on a one-out single in the fourth inning for the Huskies, Bailey followed with a bunt single. A throwing error on the play allowed Hagler to score as Bailey advanced all the way to third base. A sacrifice bunt by Herrera made it 2-0.

A two-run single by Abriana Garcia made it 4-0.

Nicholls threatened but failed to score in the second inning.

Abby Andersen led off the inning with a walk and Molly VandenBout followed with a single. After both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Poche, Rutherford hit a fly ball to left field. Bailey, the HCU nailed Andersen at the plate as Andersen tried to score from third base on the play to end the inning.

McNeill (9-11) suffered the loss. She allowed two unearned runs in on four hits and three walks, while striking out two in four innings.

Molly Yoo, working in relief of McNeill, gave up two runs on two hits and a walk, while striking out two in two innings.

Swanson (5-6) went the distance in picking up the win for HCU. She gave up six hits and two walks, while striking out eight.