Nicholls women’s softball team lost their second consecutive conference series to the University of Texas at Arlington Lady Mavericks over the weekend at the Colonels Softball Diamond/500. Nicholls (7-11, 2-4 SLC) dropped to fifth place in the Southland Conference standings, while the Lady Mavericks (5-10, 2-4 SLC) improved to seventh place in the ranks.
In the opening doubleheader March 1, the Lady Colonels dropped the first game 5-1 and the second game 5-0.
Senior Amy Thibodeaux was the only Lady Colonel to score a run in the first game when she hit a homerun to centerfield in the bottom of the sixth. It was her sixth homerun of the season.
The Lady Mavericks scored runs in the first, third and fourth innings. In the fourth, UTA scored three runs, which put the contest out of reach for the Lady Colonels.
Senior pitcher Krystalin Ensminger (3-5) took the loss for the Lady Colonels, while senior pitcher Laura Jones (2-5) picked up her first conference win of the season for the Lady Mavericks.
Ensminger pitched for 3.2 innings and allowed eight hits and five runs.
In the next game of the doubleheader, the Colonels’ rebounding hopes fell short as the Lady Mavericks bats came alive and scored runs in the second, third, fifth and sixth innings. UTA held the Lady Colonels scoreless throughout the contest.
Sophomore Lady Colonel pitcher Audrey Wood (2-1) was tagged with her first loss of the season, while Lady Maverick sophomore pitcher Cara Hulme (1-2) picked up her first win of the season.
Hulme shut down the Lady Colonels’ offense by allowing four hits with 11 strikeouts. Wood pitched six innings and gave up five runs and five hits.
The Lady Colonels managed to dodge the sweeping in the final game of the series Sunday and prevailed with a 3-1 win over the Lady Mavericks that broke a four- game Nicholls losing streak.
“We hit the ball well today, and played much better in the field. Lacey really hit her spots today pitching, and we had some timely hits that helped us get the win,” Jenny Parsons, head softball coach, said.
The Lady Colonels scored runs in the first, fifth and sixth innings and only allowed the Lady Mavericks one run in the fourth inning.
The Lady Colonels will host the Central Arkansas Sugarbears at the Colonels Softball Diamond/500. Doubleheader games are slated for Saturday at noon and 2 p.m. A single game is also set for Sunday at noon.
