Colonels Capture Opener 7-0

THIBODAUX, La. – Candice Hadd finished 2-for-3 at the plate, but third-place Nicholls held the Islanders scoreless to earn a 7-0 series-opening victory.
 
The Colonels (31-17, 15-7) scored three times in the second to break the game open early. Nicholls used four hits to provide the damage in the second inning, keyed by Brooke Morris' two-out, two-RBI single to center.
 
All three of the runs in the inning came with two outs.
 
Nicholls tacked another run on in the third to extend its lead to 4-0 in the early going. Again, the damage came on a two-out single for the Colonels.
 
The Islanders (11-31, 3-16) produced their best opportunity of the night in the fifth. Aspen Auger and Lexi Shaw. singled, eventually moving to second and third on a sacrifice bunt from Savannah Sandoval. Nicholls starter Megan Landry induced a ground ball to end the threat and keep the Islanders scoreless.
 
Nicholls would capitalize on the momentum from the shutdown inning, scoring twice in the bottom half. A pair of hits and a sacrifice fly led to the pair of runs as Nicholls added insurance. The Colonels would strike again in the sixth for their seventh and final run of the night.
 
Liz Carter took the loss in the circle for the Islanders, allowing all seven runs on 11 Colonels' hits. The right-hander struck out four, but walked five in the loss.
 
At the plate, six Islanders recorded base knocks. All seven of the Islanders' hits were singles on the night. Mackenzie Griebel, Savannah Sandoval and Kandace Johnson all added single hits at the top of the order.
 
SATURDAY FINALE
 
The Islanders and Colonels will finish the series Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon.