Another big early inning allows Nicholls softball team to sweep series from Commerce

This time, the Nicholls bats didn’t wait until the second inning to produce a three-run frame.

In sweeping a double-header over visiting Texas A&M-Commerce on Friday night, Nicholls scored three runs in the second inning of each game on the way to a sweep.

On Saturday afternoon at Swanner Field, Nicholls scored three runs in the first inning on the way to an 8-0 win in five innings to close the three-game Southland Conference series.

“I think we settled in yesterday and really just got more comfortable in the box and in who we are as hitters,” Nicholls right fielder Abby Andersen said of Saturday’s quick start.

A few more runs as far as Nicholls Justin Lewis was concerned, would have been even nicer.

“The pessimist in me with this team lately is I going, ‘OK, now are we gonna continue that or is it going to stop?’ I got a little nervous after the third one. We didn’t do anything. The kid, (Destiny) Martinez, we hadn’t scored on her. So that’s like, ‘ladies, are we gonna stop at five (runs) or are we gonna actually get to a kid that’s shut us down for the last two days. So I was proud of them to keep fighting and getting a couple through her as well,” the Nicholls coach said.

It wasn’t like Nicholls pitcher Molly Yoo needed much help from her offense. After giving up a bunt single to open the game and hit a batter in the first inning, Yoo retired the Lions in order until giving up a two-out single in the fifth inning.

“That’s what she’s capable of. She should be a No. 1 starter. We’ve been working on her mindset a little bit. Stuff-wise, she’s as good as they come. She’ll keep working and getting tougher and we are going to need her down the stretch.

“I think me and Coach Kat were able to mix pitches really well. I was able to throw by curve and my rise, and my screw a few times, and just execute,” Yoo said of her success, referring to Nicholls pitching coach Kat Frakes.

It marked the third solid pitching performance of the series for Nicholls.

“We’re just all working for each other,” Yoo said of the Nicholls pitching staff. “When Audrey (McNeill) is out there, we’re all supporting her. We’re really a team within a team. We really just want the best for each other.”

Saturday’s win improved Nicholls to 9-3 in the Southland and 22-17 overall. Commerce remained winless in conference play at 0-15 and fell to 7-36 overall.

“Credit to them. They’re not playing like they only have seven wins. They’re fighting and that’s a testament to them, so we have come in and take care of the things that we can control, and we did that today. Those are good signs,” said Lewis.

Leadoff hitter Claire Sisco got things started for Nicholls in the first inning on a double to left field. With one out, an Erin Krause triple scored the first run of the game. Mckenzie Champagne, who had three hits and drove in two runs in the opening game and threw out a runner at the plate from left field to end the second game, followed with another triple to give the Lady Colonels a 2-0 lead.

A sacrifice fly by Andersen scored Champagne to give Nicholls its 3-0 advantage.

“Lately, I’ve been trying to simplify it. I was just trying to make good contact. I would have liked to see it hit the ground, but that’s OK, we got the run,” said Andersen.

Like with most pitchers, the early lead gave Yoo a momentum boost.

“It gives me some a little bit of wiggle room to just relax and settle in on the mound. They did a really good job today of just executing and getting their job done, so I’m really happy to see it,” Yoo said.

Nicholls added two runs in the bottom of the second inning, the first coming on a run-scoring double by Molly VandenBout.

Samantha Gwiazda laid down a bunt. An error by Commerce third baseman Charli Anger on her throw to first base allowed VandenBout to score.

Nicholls managed to put the five-run rule into place by scoring three runs in the fourth inning.

Taking advantage of what should have been two-outs in the inning when Commerce center fielder Tehya Pitts dropped a fly ball, a run-scoring single by Sisco, and an RBI-double by Reagan Heflin made it 7-0.

With two outs, Andersen came up with a single to center field to drive in the eighth run of the game for Nicholls.

“You know, Coach Justin’s been talking a lot about executing in practice and it’s something we’ve kind of lacked doing. We’ve left a lot of runners on, and I think that was something I expect of myself is to execute. That was something I expected myself to do,” Andersen said.

Yoo retired 13 in row before giving up a two-out single down the third-base line by Jenna Joyce. The Nicholls pitcher struck out Stephanie Tapia to end the game.

Yoo (6-5) got the win, allowing two hits and striking out four in five innings.

Maddie Muller (3-15), the first of four pitchers used by the Lions, took the loss. She allowed three runs on three hits while lasting only one-third of an inning.