THIBODAUX, La. ? The University of South Alabama softball team dropped both games of a doubleheader Wednesday afternoon Nicholls State at the Colonel Complex, falling 2-1 in extra innings in the first game and then dropping a 5-4 decision to the Lady Colonels in the second game.
USA (17-19) will now return to conference play when the Jags host Louisiana-Monroe this weekend in Sun Belt action. The Jags and the Warhawks will open the series with two games on Saturday with game one scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Game two is slated to begin at 3 p.m. or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the opener and the two clubs will close out the series on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Nicholls State improves to 19-20 on the season with the pair of victories.
Nicholls State 2, South Alabama 1 (8 Innings) ? Game One
The Jags wasted no time manufacturing a run in the top of the first. Evelyne Pare led the game off with a single through the left side of the infield and then moved into scoring position with her 26th steal of the season on the very next pitch. Pare came around to score a couple of pitches later when Kelsy Donaldson was attempting to sacrifice her around. On the play, Nicholls State starting pitcher Lacey Gros threw wildly trying to get her out at first.
USA had its chances to increase its lead and break the game open each of the next two innings when after Gros walked the bases full, but like in the Florida Atlantic weekend series, the Jags could not come up with the big hit, allowing the Lady Colonel starter to get off the hook. Missed opportunities and leaving runners stranded would prove to be the downfall of the Jags as they left 13 runners stranded in game one.
Nicholls State made USA pay in the bottom of the fifth when it broke through with a run of its own to tie things up. Tori Lay singled to left to plate pinch runner Karla Trotter from third and knot the contest up at 1-1. Trotter was running for Nicole Smith, who had walked to start the inning.
In extra innings, pinch runner Gabby Lemaire gave the Lady Colonels the 2-1 victory when she came home from third on Kodi Butler’s sacrifice fly to right. Lemaire started the inning on second due to the international tie-breaker rule and moved up to third on a single from Kathryn Harrell, one of her three hits in the contest.
Gros picked up the win for Nicholls State and improved to 5-3 on the year, while USA’s Beth Pilgrim took the loss to drop to 9-8.
Nicholls State 5, South Alabama 4 ? Game Two
South Alabama broke a scoreless tie with a run in the fourth inning against the Lady Colonels. Courtney Chigaros got things going when the Jag freshman lined a 0-2 pitch back up the middle for her first collegiate hit. After a Kristen Hayes single back up the middle, Jag shortstop Julie Morton put South Alabama on top when she lined a two-out double to right to bring home Chigaros from second and give USA the 1-0 lead.
The Jags kept things going and added to their lead the next half inning with three more runs. Corey Race started the two-out damage for South Alabama when the junior third baseman lined a double into the left center gap to plate both Kelsy and Tara Donaldson. After a passed ball advanced Race to third, Chigaros recorded her second straight hit of the game when she lined another ball back up the middle off Nicholls State second baseman Clayton’s glove to drive in Race and put USA up 4-0.
The momentum did not last long for the Jags as the Lady Colonels put up a five spot in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead for good. Gros walked to start the inning and then after a NSU fly out, came around to score on a Rachel Pugh triple to center. With two outs in the inning, Harrell plated Nicholls State’s second run of the inning with a solid single to center to drive in Pugh from third. After a Harrell stolen base, the Jags looked as if they were going to get out of the inning but an errant throw allowed the Butler to reach and Pugh to score. The Lady Colonels tied the contest up and then took the lead after back-to-back RBI singles from Clayton and starting pitcher Audrey Wood.
South Alabama threatened in the top of the seventh placing runners at second and third with one out, but Jessica Barksdale was able to pick up the final two outs and capture the win in relief. Barksdale improves to 5-3 with the win, while Amanda Leggett took the loss for the Jags and now falls to 5-7.
Jag catcher Kristen Hayes was 3-for-3 in the nightcap for the Jags, while Chigaros also finished the contest with two hits.
