CLERMONT, Fla. – The Nichols College softball team opened the 2022 campaign with a 6-4 loss to Thomas (ME) College and a 3-2 loss to Emerson College Friday afternoon at the PFX Spring Games at Hancock Park.

Sophomore Jayda Cesar belted her first collegiate home run in the third inning of the opener against the Terriers while senior Mackenzie Bourgault collected two hits and an RBI. Senior Samantha Kostek and sophomore Lilly Fangel each drove in one run in the nightcap against the Lions.

Sophomore Hailey Bogusz plated the first run of 2022 in the first inning with a double to right-center against Thomas (ME). In the second, Bourgault singled up the middle to bring in junior Kamryn Gurnee-Mims with the second run of the day for NC. Cesar's two-run blast over the left field wall in the third was the first home run of her career at any level and gave the Bison a 4-3 lead. The Terriers scratched out three unearned runs in the fifth to move in front 6-4.

The Lions built a 3-0 lead with an unearned run in the fourth and two runs in the sixth. Fangel's infield single in the bottom of the sixth plated Decicco with the first Nichols run of the game before Kostek's RBI single brought around junior Allie Brown in the seventh. Freshman Erin Gour picked up her first collegiate hit in the contest.

Senior Candice Nelson allowed nine its and six runs (three earned) over six in the opener. She walked six and fanned five. Junior Alyssa Ouellette surrendered seven hits and three runs (two earned) in 5.1 innings of work. She did not walk a batter and struck out a pair.