Poche provides punch to enable Nicholls to beat UIW 4-2 in extra innings to avoid sweep

Alexa Poche provided the punch needed Saturday for Nicholls to avoid being swept in its three-game Southland Conference series at Incarnate Word in San Antonio.

Poche drove in three of Nicholls’ four runs in the game, including an insurance-run double in the top of the ninth inning to give the Lady Colonels a 4-2 win over the Cardinals.

She helped to make the ride back to Thibodaux from San Antonio seem a bit shorter than it might have been had Nicholls been on the losing end again in the series.

Nicholls and UIW entered the series tied for third place in the Southland Conference with 12-6 marks. Had Nicholls lost the game, it would have been three full games behind the Cardinals. Instead, the Lady Colonels are only a game back of Incarnate Word. Nicholls is now 13-8 in the Southland and Cardinals 14-7.

The score was tied 2-2 entering extra innings.

Claire Sisco got things started for Nicholls in the top of the ninth with a one-out bunt single. Reagan Heflin followed with a double to the left center field gap to score Sisco and put the Lady Colonels on top 4-3.

Poche hit a fly ball over the head of the UIW center fielder for a double to score Heflin and give the Lady Colonels a little extra breathing room.

Nicholls pitcher Audrey McNeill struck out Dariane Cram for the first out in the bottom of the ninth.

Pinch-hitter Ryleigh Mata hit a fly ball to short right field. Abby Andersen came to her right to make a diving catch for the second out of the inning.

Baylee Lemons popped out to Poche at first base to end the inning.

Nicholls (26-24) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first innings.

A one-out single by Heflin and a double by Erin Krause put two runners in scoring position, setting up Poche’s sacrifice fly to give Nicholls the early lead.

UIW (30-13) tied the game in the third inning.

Ayla Gonzales reached base on a one-out walk. She advanced to second on a wild pitch by McNeill and stole third base.

Victoria Artamirano, who hit a grand slam in the opening game and went into Saturday’s contest with 11 home runs on the season, also reached base via a walk. It was one of four times Artamirano walked in the game.

Avalon Sanchez hit the ball back to McNeill. The Nicholls pitcher tossed to first base for the out. Poche threw to the plate, but Gonzales was able to score to tie the game.

To open the fifth inning, Heflin hit a fly ball to right field. Altamirano, the right fielder, initially ran forward and then back. The ball sailed over her head, allowing Heflin to reach second base.

Poche made the Cardinals pay with a hit up the middle to score Heflin for a 2-1 Nicholls lead.

UIW scored in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings.

Cram led off the inning with a hard-hit ball off of McNeill in the circle. Cram advanced to second on a ground out by Leah Hayes. A hit up the middle by Lemons scored Cram to send the game to extra innings.

Each time might have been able to score runs to avoid extra innings if not for clutch defensive plays by the opposition.

In the top of the fourth inning, Gabby Higbee, who was on second base, was waved home by Nicholls coach Justin Lewis on a hit by Sisco with two outs. Higbee was caught in a run-down between third and home to end the inning.

Lemons hit a sinking liner to left field with two runners on base and two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Heflin, the left fielder, raced in to make a diving catch for the final out of the inning.

With one out in the top of the eighth inning, Nicholls’ Mckenzie Champagne delivered a shot to third base. Maddison Guillen, the UIW third baseman, dove across the third base bag to stop the ball. She quickly rifled the ball to first base to nip a diving Champagne for the out.

McNeill (12-12) pitched all ninth innings to earn the win. She allowed two runs on four hits and six walks, while striking out five.

Portillo (8-4), the last of three pitchers used by UIW in the game, suffered the loss. She allowed three runs, two of which were earned, on seven hits in six innings.