AUBURNDALE, FLA. – The Nichols softball team dropped two games on Monday during their spring break trip in Auburndale, Fla. The Bison suffered a 6-1 setback in the first game of the day to the University of Chicago before losing in extra innings to Lasell by the score of 9-1. Nichols falls to 0-4 (0-0 CCC) on the season.
 
University of Chicago 6, Nichols 1
 
After the Bison went down in order in the top half of the first, Chicago came out swinging with three consecutive hits before a sacrifice fly knocked in a run. Nichols was able to escape further damage getting a flyout to end the inning. Neither team allowed a baserunner over the next two and a half innings.
 
The Maroons finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth, scoring one run on two hits and an error to take a 2-0 lead. The Bison finally picked up their first hit of the game in the top of the sixth as freshman Brianna Sulikowski reached on an infield single. A strikeout and groundout ended the inning and stranded Sulikowski at first. The Chicago bats heated up in the bottom half of the inning, using four two-out hits to plate four runs and extend their lead to 6-0. Nichols picked up a run in the top of the seventh when Mackenzie Jackson singled home Allie Brown, but the Maroons recorded the final out to end the game.
 
Freshman pitcher Olivia Pedro started the game for the Bison, going four innings, surrendering five hits and two runs.
 
Lasell 9, Nichols 8
 
Lasell jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the first inning thanks to four hits, two walks, and a hit-by-pitch. After retiring Nichols in order in the bottom of the first, Lasell added to their lead on a home run to left field. The Bison bats woke up in the bottom of the second as Allie Silliman and Chloe Steiniger started the inning with back-to-back base hits. Freshman Bailey Littlefield ripped a single up the middle and Silliman scored on a bad throw. After Lasell recorded the second out, Nichols got the rally going as Steiniger scored on a passed ball followed by two walks to load the bases. Freshman Riley Chartier came through with the two-out base knock to score two runs making it 5-4. After another walk in the inning, Silliman came back up to the plate and picked up a two-RBI single to give the Bison a 6-5 lead.
 
Lasell took the lead back in the top of the fourth, scoring three runs with two of them coming on a home run before a groundout ended the inning.
 
The game entered a rain delay in the bottom of the fourth but when play resumed, Nichols tied the game back up at eight on RBI singles by Littlefield and Emma West-Testo with two outs in the inning.  The game headed to extra innings tied at eight, with each team starting the inning with a runner on second base. Lasell cashed in on the opportunity when the throw from center field to third base on a flyout bounced into the dugout, scoring the runner. Nichols got out of the inning after just one run, trailing 9-8. The Bison were unable to get the runner from second home and Lasell came away with the 9-8 victory.
 
Littlefield led the way with three hits and an RBI for Nichols. Silliman and Steiniger picked up two hits on the day, with Silliman batting in two runs.
 
Nichols looks for their first wins of the year on Tuesday, March 14 when they take on Smith and Ripon at 9:00 and 11:30 a.m. at the Auburndale Softball Complex.