BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University softball program captured the series over Nicholls on Friday night at the LU Softball Complex with a doubleheader sweep. Game three is set for a first pitch of noon on Saturday, May 1^st.
 
"I am really proud of the way that we came out and competed," said head coach Amy Hooks. "I don't know that we've had more of a complete team effort in wins back-to-back like that, and it started when we walked into the park this morning. We walked in the office, and we just heard the music blaring. I think what I'm most proud of is we have six games left, and they could be shutting it down and calling it a season, yet they're still fighting. So just really proud of our effort and how we played today."
 
GAME 1 – Lamar 4, Nicholls 3
 
Junior Aaliyah Ruiz got to work early in the first inning as she allowed just one hit and struck out two to begin the game. The Colonels' pitcher got to work early as well putting the pressure on the Cards in the bottom of the first. The Cardinals went onto force Nicholls into a one-two-three situation to begin the second. Lamar got a runner on base in the second, but a Colonel double play ended the inning.
 
Nicholls kept up the offensive pace to begin the third as Vazquez doubled to center field. The next hit in the inning came from the Colonels' Miller as she singled to left field, advancing Vazquez to third on the hit. During the next batter, Miller stole second, and on the throw out attempt a Cardinal error allowed Vazquez to score, breaking the scoreless tie in the third. Lamar responded in the bottom of the third as a Nicolette Ramirez single up the middle allowed Aleka Xayaseng and Reagan Jones to run in as the Cards took a 2-1 lead going into the fourth.
 
Nicholls proved potent in the fourth as they evened things up at two a piece after a double to left center by Gossen brought in Duplay from second. It did not take long for the Big Red to regain the lead as a costly error in the bottom of the fourth allowed Cardinal runners to get into scoring position. Sophomore Hannah Kinkade stepped up to the plate and took the fifth pitch to right field for a single that scored junior Brooke Smith to give the Cardinals a 3-2 lead going into the fifth.
 
The Colonel offense again tied the score up at three a piece in the fifth after a sacrifice fly to left field by Hebert was able to bring in Holland. The Nicholls' pitcher went to work giving the Lamar batters in the fifth a difficult time as the Cards went onto go three up and three down. Ruiz came back out for Lamar in the sixth and struck out the first batter, and then went onto only allow one hit in the inning with the final out popping up to short, leaving one runner on in the process.
 
Both programs came into the seventh inning tied at three apiece. Ruiz returned to the circle for the Cardinals and got a one, two, three inning out of the Colonel offense. Lamar needed to plate just one run to capture the victory.
 
The Cardinals got their first base runner in freshman Reagan Jones as she was walked. Next up, redshirt senior Victoria Garivey singled to center that allowed Jones to advance to second. Freshman Sydnee Adams made her first appearance of the weekend as she pinch ran for Garivey in the seventh. Xayaseng got the hit down, but the third baseman was able to scoop it up getting Jones out at third. Ramirez was the next Cardinal batter up and delivered the walk-off single to shortstop that allowed Adams to score to bring a game one win to the Cardinals.
 
GAME 2 – Lamar 3, Nicholls 1
 
It was the Cards that made quick work of the ball in the first inning as senior Shelby Mixon got the start and only gave up one hit but made the three batters that got out put in some work to get the ball in play. Lamar's offense got too quick work in the bottom of the first as Xayaseng tripled to left field to open play. Ramirez played the sacrifice route as the sac fly to center field allowed Xayaseng to tag up and come home to give the Cards an early 1-0 lead.
 
Mixon returned to the circle for the Big Red and went the distance but was able to keep the Nicholls' offense at bay with another impressive defensive stop by the Cardinal infield. The Cardinals threatened in the second as they loaded the bases up, but the Colonel defense was able to get the three outs needed to save them from going down more.
 
Nicholls returned the favor and threatened the Big Red in the third, but after Mixon gave up the hit on pitch four of the inning, she turned out plays to close out the inning. The Colonels went down looking to end the inning with a runner on base. The Cardinals played a similar third inning as the Colonels tracked down the fly ball in left field for out one. Freshman Audry Fleming connected and singled up the middle, but Nicholls' pitcher turned up the heat and struck out the next two Cards.
 
The Cardinal defense tightened up in the fourth as they allowed just one hit in the inning and forced the Colonels to leave one on base. Lamar extended their lead in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double to left center by senior Hannah Carpenter that brought in Smith and Xayaseng. It didn't take long after that for Nicholls to get out of the inning.
 
The fifth saw another three up three down scenario for the Colonels as Mixon proved to be tough on the night. The Cardinals went onto get one on base in the fifth, but the defense of Nicholls buckled down and was able to get out of the inning.
 
Mixon came back out to start the sixth and forced Nicholls to three straight outs as she got one strikeout but forced a pop up and a ground out to second to end the top of the sixth. The Colonel pitcher and her defense thought the same in the sixth as the Cardinals popped up twice and lined out to end the sixth inning.
 
Nicholls looked to make something of the seventh as they needed just three runs to extend the game. The Colonels were able to load the bases after a walk, a hit by pitch and then Gossen of Nicholls was able to single up the middle to load. After a second hit by pitch of the night, the Colonels plated their first run of game two. Mixon made quick work giving Garivey an easy out at home to bring the out count to two. Mixon then made the next batter's set of pitches difficult as the batter fouled twice and took one ball before Mixon delivered the final strike to get the batter looking.
 
The Cardinals took the series win after capturing the game two victor, 3-1, over Nicholls. Lamar improves to 7-40 overall and 3-20 in conference play. Game three of the series is set for a first pitch of noon on Saturday, May 1^st. Due to potential inclement weather in the forecast, the game could be moved to a different time and/or date. If done so, an announcement will be made on LamarCardinals.com and the Lamar Softball Twitter.
 
 
QUOTABLES
 
Head Coach Amy Hooks
On getting first conference series win this season:
"Good. I mean, we talked about it in the huddle, and I think that it was a sigh of relief and fresh air to know we can do it. And now we know we're talking about let's complete it. Let's go for the sweep. So just proud of them, and it was a big one. I mean, with senior day going on and all their emotions flying around that to keep them composed and still in the game. I am proud of them. "
 
On Victoria Garivey's performance:
"I knew she wanted to do it. The fun thing is she had no clue Abigail's recognition was happening. Abigail's family thought they were coming for Tori's senior day so none of them knew. So special moment for her. On top of that, I wanted to do it for our team. So that happens on her day in in the huddle, the girls pointed her out and I want to point Tori out. She had a great day, and it was her day, her senior day and to do it on your senior day is special. So proud of her and just staying the course and not checking out early. That's what's most important."