Nicholls surrenders seven runs in sixth inning in 9-0 loss to nationally-ranked Ragin’ Cajuns

With Nicholls pitcher Molly Yoo and Louisiana-Lafayette counterpart Lexie Delbrey dueling through the first four innings, no one could have envisioned a 9-0 loss for the Lady Colonels by run-rule Wednesday night in Lafayette.

Through four innings, Yoo allowed two hits and only one runner to advance as far as third base.

Delbrey had allowed one hit through three innings.

In the top of the fourth, Claire Sisco led off the inning with a double down the left field line. A sacrifice bunt by Reagan Heflin advanced the runner to third base. Sisco was stranded there when Delbrey got Erin Krause and Alexa Poche to hit fly ball outs to left field.

A pair of errors allowed ULL to get a runner to third base in the bottom of the inning, but Yoo got Sam Roe to fly out to end the inning.

In the top of the fifth inning, a one-out double by Riley Rutherford sent Sam Landry to the mound in place of Delbrey. Landry walked Abby Andersen to put runners on second and first with one out, but Molly VandenBout hit into a double play to end the threat.

Louisiana-Lafayette broke a scoreless game with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Yoo hit Victoria Valdez with a pitch to open the inning. A double to left center field by Cecilia Vasquez put runners on the corners. Pinch-hitter Denali Loecker hit a fly ball in foul territory in short left field. Nicholls shortstop Samantha Gwiazda ran over to make the catch, with Valdez scoring on the sacrifice fly to give the Ragin’ Cajuns a 1-0 lead.

After Vasquez stole third base, Mihyia Davis hit a tapper back to the pitcher for an infield hit, again putting runners on the corners.

Davis was thrown out by Rutherford, the Nicholls catcher, for the second out of the inning on a steal attempt. Maddie Hayden followed with a triple to left field, extending the ULL lead to 2-0.

Then came the big sixth inning.

Alexa Langeliers doubled to center to open the inning. Brooke Ellestad followed with a single up the middle to put runners on the corners and Yoo was replaced by Averi Paden. A Sam Roe single to center scored Langeliers to make it 3-0.

From there, the Ragin’ Cajuns poured it on.

A bases-loaded single by Davis upped the UL-Lafayette lead to 4-0. With the bases still loaded, Hayden produced a two-run single to make it 6-0.

Laney Credeur hit a three-run homer to abruptly end the game at 9-0.

The loss dropped Nicholls to 23-20 on the season, while Louisiana-Lafayette, ranked No. 19 in the nation, moved to 30-15.

Yoo (6-6) ended up allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out two.

In two-thirds of an inning in relief, Paden yielded five runs on five hits.

With Delbrey going 4 1/3 innings, Landry (16-7) went on to win the game in relief. She allowed no hits and one walk in 1 2/3 innings.

Nicholls will be back in action on Friday when the Lady Colonels host Southeastern Louisiana to open a three-game Southland Conference series.