Nicholls softball team drops two of three in series at ULM Warhawks

The finale of a three-game set was a complete departure from the first two games of the series in the Nicholls softball team’s 12-0 loss at the University of Louisiana at Monroe on Saturday afternoon.

The opening two game games of the series were one-run affairs. Nicholls dropped the opener 4-3 on Friday night before winning the first of two games on Saturday 5-4.

In dropping the series to ULM, Nicholls fell to 12-10 on the season.

Nicholls was never a factor in the finale, falling behind 6-0 in the bottom of the first inning.

A walk to Loudres Bacon, a single by Carys Platt, and a walk to Andie Edwards loaded the bases to open the inning. Meagan Brown followed with a single, driving in two runs. A single by Jacelyn Buck drove in another run for a quick 3-0 lead.

Molly VandenBout was brought in to pitch in place of starter Audrey McNeill.

With one out, a Kelsey Giggens single drove in the fourth run of the game. An error allowed the fifth run to score, with the final run coming on a sacrifice fly by Bacon in an inning that saw 11 batters come to the plate.

After adding two runs in the second inning and one in the third, ULM added three in the fourth to put the mercy-run rule into effect.

The big blow in the fourth inning was a two-run home run by Giddens.

McNeill (5-6) suffered the loss. In failing to record an out, she gave up five runs on three hits and two walks.

Nicholls 5, Louisiana-Monroe 4: The Lady Colonels broke a 4-4 tie in the top of the seventh inning to defeat the Warhawks in the first game on Saturday.

Nicholls took advantage of wildness by ULM pitcher Maddie Nichols to produce the winning run.

VandenBout led off the inning with a walk and was replaced by pinch-runner Laylin Sturm. After a ground out by Alexa Poche moved Sturm over to second base, she advanced to third and then scored on a pair of wild pitches by Nichols.

Molly Yoo (3-3), the second of two pitchers used by the Lady Colonels, retired the Warhawks in order in the bottom of the seventh.

Yoo pitched the final six innings after Nicholls starter Averi Paden was the victim of four unearned runs in the first inning. After Paden walked the first three batters, two runs came on an error and the other two on a double by Maryssa ZenZen.

Nicholls got right back in the game with three runs in the second inning. Two of the runs came on a home run by Rylie Rutherford.

The Lady Colonels tied the game in the fourth inning when Sisco hit into a fielder’s choice.

Louisiana-Monroe 4, Nicholls 3: A season-long lapse continued in a loss to ULM in the opener of the series. Nicholls held the lead only to allow a late big inning in falling 4-3.

Trailing 3-1, Platt led off with a single for ULM. Edwards followed with a run-scoring double and advanced to third on the throw. A wild pitch allowed the tying run to score.

With Taylor Broddick on second base, a sacrifice bunt by Brooklin Lippert advanced Broddick to third. Buck followed with a single up the middle to score Broddick with what proved to be the winning run.

Nicholls (11-9) had taken a 3-1 lead by scoring single runs in each of the third, fourth, and sixth innings.

A sacrifice fly by Sisco scored the first run in the third inning. The run in the fourth came on a solo home run by VandenBout, her fifth of the season. Nicholls added a run in the sixth on a run-scoring single by Poche.

Yoo (2-3), working in relief of starter Audrey McNeill, suffered the loss. She allowed three runs on five hits and one walk, with two strikeouts in three innings.