DUDLEY, Mass. (4/22/2025) – The Nichols softball team earned a split in a non-conference doubleheader against the Clark University Cougars on Tuesday afternoon in Dudley. The Cougars took game one, 4-3, before the Bison responded with a 4-2 win in game two.

With the split, the Bison move to 23-9 overall (10-3 CNE) on the season.
 
Game 1: Clark 4, Nichols 3
The visiting Cougars opened the scoring in game one with an RBI double in the top of the first inning. They continued to chip away, building a 4-0 lead through six innings.

Nichols mounted a late rally in the bottom of the sixth when sophomore Kyla Felicani delivered a two-RBI double to right-center, scoring freshman Alyssa Pericello and senior Erin Gour to cut the deficit in half. The next batter, senior Emma West-Testo, singled to right-center, bringing home sophomore designated player Hannah Cozza and making it a 4-3 game.

However, the Bison were held scoreless in the seventh, sealing the Cougars' narrow win.

Despite the loss, the game was record-setting for Nichols. In the bottom of the fourth, senior Erin Gour doubled down the left field line for her 39th career double—a new program record. In the top of the fifth, junior Allie Silliman notched her 742nd career putout, also setting a new Bison record.

In the circle, freshman Molly Medor started and took the loss, striking out one in one inning of work. Sophomore Ally McNamee came on in relief, striking out four and allowing just two earned runs over six innings.
 
Game 2: Nichols 4, Clark 2
The tides turned in game two as the Bison bounced back with a 4-2 victory. Clark again struck first with a run in the top of the first, but Nichols quickly answered.
Senior Erin Gour smacked her third double of the day, driving in sophomore Kyla Felicani to tie the game 1-1 after one inning.

In the second, junior Ava Slavinsky singled to right field to drive in classmate Bailey Littlefield, giving Nichols a 2-1 lead. Gour continued her offensive tear with a two-run homer to left in the third, scoring classmate Chloe Steiniger and extending the lead to 4-1. The home run was Gour's team-leading third of the season.

Senior Chelsea Indyk was dominant in the circle, striking out nine and walking just one en route to a complete-game win—her 16th of the year.
 
Nichols continues its non-conference slate on Thursday, hosting UMass Boston for a doubleheader starting at 3 PM in Dudley.