THIBODAUX, La. —- HCU dropped both ends of a doubleheader at Nicholls on Friday, as the Colonels shut out the Huskies 6-0 in the opener and then earned an extra-inning 3-2 walk-off win in the nightcap. The two teams will meet again on Saturday, with the Huskies looking to salvage the series finale.
GAME 1
Nicholls got to the Huskies quickly in game one, scoring twice in each of the first three innings.
The Huskies bats were quiet, with
Haylie Savage's seventh inning single being the lone base knock in the game for the visitors.
Melise Gossen had a two-out, two-run double in the first to give McNeil all the offense Audrey McNeil would need on the day. Claire Sisco added another two-out, two-run double in the second to push the lead to 4-0.
In the third, it was Gossen again with a run-scoring triple, then coming home herself on an RBI groundout by MaKynli Miller.
Katy Janes (6-11) suffered the loss for the Huskies, lasting just 2.2 innings and giving up six runs on seven hits and three walks.
Addy Prasifka was strong in relief for HCU, going the final 3.1 innings and allowing just four hits while fanning one.
McNeil went the distance for Nicholls, giving up just the one hit and fanning six to improve to 11-8 on the season.
Gossen went 3-4 with two roubles and three RBI to lead the Colonels offense. Brynne Songy was 3-3, and Sisco went 2-4 with two RBI.
GAME 2
HCU looked to turn things around in game two, grabbing a quick lead in the first.
Avery Drake singled and stole second, then moved to third on a single by Savage.
Kaicey Hagler popped up to first base for the second out, but first baseman Melise Goosen threw errantly to third trying to catch Drake napping, and she came across the dish with game's first run.
The score would remain 1-0 until the bottom of the sixth, when Nicholls finally broke through. Claire Sisco would single and move to second on a groundout. Alexa Poché then singled to left to bring home Sisco and tie the game at one.
In the seventh,
Autumn Sydlik launched a leadoff homer to give HCU a 2-1 lead, but Nicholls would come right back in the bottom of the inning.
Brianna McFaddin, pinch-running for Brynne Songy, stole second, then kept on motoring when the throw to second went into center field, scoring the game-tying run and sending the game into extra innings.
The Huskies loaded the bases in the top of the eighth with two outs, but a sinking liner off the bat of
Maggie Childs was caught in center by Sisco to end the threat.
Erin Krause would get a one-out triple in the bottom of the eighth, and Poché then walked and stole second to put runners on second and third. Once more it was Gossen, who laced a single though the left side to walk things off, scoring Krause with the game-winner.
Lyndie Swanson pitched into extra frames for the third time in her last four starts, falling in a tremendous back-and-forth pitcher's duel with Nicholls Molly Yoo.
Swanson went 7.1 innings and scattered five hits and the three runs, while walking two. She falls to 9-7 on the season.
Drake went 3-4 with a run for the Huskies, while Savage and Childs each went 2-4. Sydlik punched her fifth homer of the season, taking sole possession of eighth place all-time.
Yoo was equally on point for the hosts, going eight innings while allowing eight hits and two runs and fanning seven, improving to 12-10 overall.
Makynli Miller went 2-3 for the Colonels, while Poché went 1-3 with an RBI and Gossen finished off a solid doubleheader by going 1-4 and ending 4-8 in the two games.
NEXT UP:
The Huskies (20-26 / 9-11 SLC) will look to salvage the series finale tomorrow at Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park.
Combining the sweep along with losses by Northwestern State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, the Colonels (26-22, 12-11) move into third place heading their final regular season contest on Saturday.
First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for noon, and you can follow the game via LIVE STATS or inning by inning updates from @HCUSoftball Twitter.
#DawgsUp
