Unsung hero Robledo comes through with big hit to keep Nicholls alive in SLC tournament

In a game filled with unsung heroes, Lilianna Robledo’s star shown the brightest.

Robledo, who entered the game 1 for 3 at the plate all season and making only her second start of the year, delivered a run-scoring single in the bottom of the eighth inning to give Nicholls a 5-4 win to keep the Lady Colonels alive in the Southland Conference tournament.

Nicholls, the No. 3 seed, lost its first game of the day 4-1 to Southeastern Louisiana, the No. 2 seed. After playing in the heat and humidity Wednesday afternoon in Hammond, the Lady Colonels had to play the very next game in the hopes of keeping their championship hopes in the conference tournament alive.

The win advances Nicholls to another elimination game at 3:30 p.m. Thursday against McNeese. The top-seeded Cowgirls eliminated Houston Christian 8-6 in the late game Wednesday.

Each side had unlikely heroes.

After Nicholls took a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, Lamar came right back with two runs in the top of the fifth on a two-run home run by Mikaila Kenney. Kenney, a .171 hitter, belted her first home run of the season to left field to rally Lamar to within 4-3.

Nicholls (31-25) was leading 4-3 in the top of the seventh inning and had the Cardinals down to their last strike.

At the plate for Lamar was leadoff hitter Shenita Tucker. The 5-foot outfielder, the team’s leading hitter with a .335 average and blazing speed that allowed her to steal 27 bases in 32 attempts, had few extra-base hits on the season.

With a 3-2 count, she lifted a fly ball to left field over the head of the Nicholls outfielders. Using her speed, she sprinted around the bases, sliding in for an inside-the-park home run to tie the game. It was her first home run of any sort on the season.

The game was tied 4-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning when Alexa Poche led off with a hit over second base and was replaced by pinch runner Carmella Muccilli.

Pinch-hitter Mckenzie Champagne followed with a single to right center field to put two runners on base with no outs.

After Claire Sisco flied out, Katy Sanders, a rarely used player who had three at-bats all season, followed as the team’s designated player. Using a keen eye, she drew a walk to load the bases.

Robledo, who made a rare start at third base, made her mark earlier in the game. Numerous balls came her way early in the game and she flawlessly handled them all in finishing with six assists.

She came up even bigger on the offensive end in the eighth, delivering the hit that kept the Lady Colonels alive in the tournament.

Nicholls reversed the script in the first inning.

The Lady Colonels, who split their first two games in the Southland Conference tournament, fell behind in the first inning of each game.

Nicholls did the early scoring against the Cardinals, coming up with a run in the bottom of the first inning.

It looked like it would be a quick inning for Lamar when Cardinals pitcher Emma Wardlaw got two ground ball outs to open the inning.

Poche hit a shot that glanced off of Wardlaw. Wardlaw tossed the ball to first base, but her throw was low to Lamar first baseman Veronica Harrison. The resulting error gave the Lady Colonels their first base runner of the game.

A single by Gabby Higbee put two runners on base. Sisco followed with a base hit to left field, scoring Poche with the first run of the game.

Nicholls pitcher Averi Paden retired the first nine batters she faced before Tucker led off the top of the fourth inning with a single past third base.

A ground out by Jayne Sepulveda advanced Tucker to second. Tucker moved to third on a wild pitch. Following a strikeout by Trinity Brandon, Harrison delivered a single to left field to score Tucker to tie the game.

After Sisco’s hit in the first inning, Wardlaw retired eight batters of her own through the first out in the fourth inning.

Sisco reached base again, this time on a throwing error by Lamar catcher Raigan Brannon. Sanders’ first impact of the game came with a double to left and advanced to third on an error on the play, allowing Sisco to score all the way from first base.

Robledo grounded out to score Sanders to put Nicholls on top 3-1. Lady Colonels catcher Brynne Songy capped the inning with a solo home run to left field, putting Nicholls on top by three runs.

Then came the home run by Kenney to make it 4-3.

The score remained the same until Tucker’s inside-the-park home run forced extra innings.

Molly Yoo (8-9) got the win. Pitching in relief of Paden, Yoo allowed one run on two hits, with three strikeouts in three innings. Paden pitched the first five innings, allowing three runs on four hits and one walk, while striking out four.

Karyana Mitchell (13-9) suffered the loss. She allowed one run on seven hits and two walks, with one strikeout in 3 2/3 innings in relief of Wardlaw.

Southeastern Louisiana 4, Nicholls 1: The Lady Colonels fell behind in the first inning for the second-straight game in the Southland Conference, this time trailing 2-0 against Southeastern Louisiana.

Unlike a day earlier, Nicholls was unable to rally, ultimately losing 4-1.

Ka’Lyn Watson opened the bottom of the first with a single up the middle. A ground out by Chloe Magee advanced Watson to second base. Maria Detillier doubled down the right field line, scoring Watson to SLU a 1-0 lead.

Detillier reached third base on a fly out by Bailey Krolczyk before scoring on a single by Lexi Johnson for the Lady Lions’ 2-0 lead.

Although Nicholls only had five hits in the game, the Lady Colonels had some hard-hit balls, but they were hit right at SLU fielders.

The costliest came in the top of the first inning.

Back-to-back singles by Reagan Heflin and Erin Krause put two runners on base with one out. Poche hit a hard liner to third base. SLU third baseman Maria Detillier nabbed the line drive and tossed to first base to double up Krause to end the inning.

Southeastern added a run in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Cam Goodman opened the inning with a bunt single off of Audrey McNeill. McNeill entered the game in the top of the fourth inning in relief of Yoo, the Nicholls starter.

After a sacrifice by Watson advanced Goodman to second base, Goodman moved to third on a passed ball by Nicholls catcher Rylie Rutherford. Magee grounded out to shortstop, allowing Watson to score the Lady Lions’ third run of the game.

Nicholls scored its first run of the game in the top of the sixth inning.

Samantha Gwiazda hit a blooper between second base and right field with one out. The ball took a bounce away from SLU second baseman Maddy Watson, allowing Gwiazda to reach third base. A single to right by Abby Andersen scored Gwiazda to make it 3-1.

Like earlier in the game, Heflin hit a hard liner to Detillier at third base. Detillier fired to first to double up Andersen to end the inning.

Southeastern got the run right back in the bottom of the sixth on a run-scoring run by Audrey Greely.

Yoo took the loss. She allowed two runs on four hits, with one strikeout in three innings.

Cera Blanchard (18-2) went the distance in picking up the win. She allowed one unearned run on five hits, with one strikeout.