Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

THIBODAUX – Nicholls State finished with 16 runs and 24 hits in a doubleheader sweep of Southeastern Louisiana in Southland Conference softball action Tuesday evening at the Colonel Softball Complex.

In the opener, Nicholls took an 8-0 win. Junior Ashley Ray hit three home runs off Southeastern sophomore Kenna Terry (6-5), who struck out a season-high seven batters. NSU starter Ashton Bennett (6-16) held Southeastern (19-25, 9-14 Southland) to one hit in the complete-game shutout effort.

In the nightcap, the Lady Lion bats came alive, as Southeastern finished with 10 hits. However, Nicholls (11-33, 4-18 Southland) countered with 13 hits of its own. Freshman Megan Moore, junior Trish Bliss and freshman Megan McCollum had two hits apiece for the Lady Lions, while junior Katie Matthews hit a two-run home run.

The series wraps on Wednesday with a 5 p.m. contest. Live stats for the game will be available at www.geauxcolonels.com.

Game 1 – Nicholls 8, Southeastern Louisiana (Six Innings)
Nicholls took the lead in the bottom of the third inning. Megan Gaspard started off the rally with a bloop single to left field, stole second and scored on an RBI single by Whitney Roan. Ray followed with a two-run home run – her league-high 12th – over the centerfield fence. The next two Colonels also reached, but Terry (6-5) struck out Lauren Batiz and Tori Lay to keep the NSU lead to 3-0.

Ray helped Nicholls double its lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Singles by Laine Strickland and Roan put a pair of runners on with two outs. Ray followed with a three-run home run to nearly the same spot as her first home run to put NSU up, 6-0.

Southeastern didn't get its first hit off Bennett until the top of the sixth inning. With two outs, sophomore Kelsey Nichols doubled into the right centerfield gap to break up the no-hit bid. Bennett stranded her at second, forcing senior Katie Duhe to ground out to end the inning.

Nicholls ended the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Roan reached on a two-out single and Ray followed with a line shot over the left centerfield fence to enforce the mercy rule.

Game 2 – Nicholls 8, Southeastern Louisiana 4
The Lady Lions loaded the bases in the top of the first versus Nicholls starter Carlee Winklemann (3-10). Sophomore Michelle Duhe led off the game with a double and advanced to third when Nichols reached on an error. A walk by Matthews loaded the bases, but Winklemann retired junior Meghan Gomez and senior Tamra Ladnier to keep the Lady Lions off the board.

Nicholls touched up sophomore Kati Morse (4-8) for three runs in its half of the first inning. Mandy Granger singled home the game's first run and Laine Strickland followed later in the inning with a two-run single of her own to put the Colonels up, 3-0.

Southeastern scored its first run of the day in the top of the second inning. Moore led off the inning with a double to right centerfield. After moving over to third on a sacrifice bunt by Hali Westmoreland, Moore scored on an infield single by McCollum to cut the NSU lead to 3-1.

The Lady Lions cut further into the lead in the top of the third inning. Katie Duhe led off the inning with a single and moved to third on a one-out single by Gomez. Ladnier then lifted a fly ball to deep center, that allowed Duhe to score from third to pull Southeastern within one at 3-2.

Nicholls blew the game open in the bottom of the third inning, chasing Morse with five consecutive two-out singles that led to four runs. Strickland singled home the inning's first run, Katie Holmes knocked in two more, then Lauren Jolivette forced in the inning's fourth run. Gaspard greeted senior Bailey Zievert with the sixth consecutive hit of the inning, but Zievert forced Roan to ground out to keep Southeastern within five at 7-2.

The Lady Lions cut into the lead in the top of the fifth inning. Katie Duhe reached on an error to lead off the inning, then Matthews hit a towering shot over the scoreboard in right centerfield. The Spring, Texas native's fifth home run of the season pulled Southeastern closer at 7-4. The Lady Lions would load the bases later in the inning, but Katie Moulder came in to strike out Michelle Duhe to leave the bags packed and kept the Colonel lead at three.

Nicholls got a run back in the bottom of the sixth inning. Infield singles by Ray, Granger and Strickland led to another Colonel run and advanced the lead to 8-4.

Moulder retired the first six batters she faced before giving up consecutive two-out singles in the top of the seventh inning to Moore and Bliss. Moulder recovered to force McCollum to foul out to earn her first collegiate save.