Mid Massachusetts News

The Nichols softball team suffered two defeats in their first two games of the season in Auburndale, Fla. on Sunday morning. The Bison were taken down by Framingham State in the first game by the score of 7-1. In the later game, Nichols dropped a 7-6 decision on a walk-off single to St. Norbert.
 
Framingham 7, Nichols 1
 
The Rams jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Framingham tagged Bison starter Olivia Pedro with four straight hits to open the game before Pedro was able to escape further damage. The Bison bats were silenced by Rams starter Ally Moran who did not surrender a hit until freshman Chloe Steiniger singled up the middle to open the bottom of the fourth for Nichols. Senior Allie Brown came through for the Bison with a bases-loaded, two-out RBI single to cut the Rams' lead to 5-1. Nichols was unable to get another run across the rest of the way and Framingham tacked on two more runs in the seventh to seal the 7-1 victory.
 
Mackenzie Jackson and Erin Gour found their way on base twice, each picking up a hit and working a walk. Pedro tossed seven complete innings, surrendering seven runs (five earned) and collecting two strikeouts.
 
St. Norbert 7, Nichols 6
 
After a scoreless first inning in the second game of the day, the Bison got on the board in the second frame with a Bailey Littlefield base hit, scoring Allie Silliman who started the inning off with a single. Jackson came around to score on the next at-bat thanks to a wild pitch to make it 2-0. St. Norbert responded in the bottom half of the inning with a two-out base hit, scoring three runners after the ball was misplayed in left field. Nichols answered right back in the top of the third, scoring four runs on four hits and three errors to take a 6-3 lead. The game remained 6-3 until the bottom of the sixth inning, with St. Norbert picking up two runs on a two-RBI single to cut the Bison lead to one.
 
After retiring the first batter of the inning in the bottom of the seventh, St. Norbert loaded the bases, bringing up a pinch hitter. Freshman Ava Engwall came through for the Green Knights, ripping a ball into the gap to score two and give St. Norbert their second win of the day.
 
Silliman and Littlefield each picked up two hits for the Bison, while starting pitcher Chelsea Indyk went 5.2 innings, surrendering five runs (four earned) in the no-decision.
 
Nichols looks to claim their first win of the season on Monday, March 13 when they take on Chicago in the first game of the day at the Auburndale Softball Complex in Auburndale, Fla. First pitch is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. Following the conclusion of that game, Nichols will battle Lasell in the second game of the day.

Original source can be found here.