After a 5-0 start in the Black and Gold Invitational last weekend, the Southern Miss softball team lost its first game of the season on the road against the Nicholls State Colonels on Wednesday.

Both teams played two scoreless innings to start the contest until Nicholls State broke the 0-0 score with two runs off of a throwing error and RBI single in the bottom of the third inning. The Colonels added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning with another RBI single.

Nicholls State expanded its lead to 4-0 in the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly. Southern Miss was held scoreless until the top of the seventh inning, when sophomore Heather Hill hit an RBI single to center field. The hit allowed junior Lacey Sumerlin to score the team’s first and only run of the night. Hill was 2-for-3 at the plate against the Colonels.

Overall, the Golden Eagles committed three errors in the contest, compared to just one from Nicholls State. The two teams each had five hits in the contest.

Junior pitcher Abby Trahan recorded her first loss as a Golden Eagle in the contest. Trahan allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits. Trahan also walked two batters and had six strikeouts on 103 total pitches.

In addition to Hill, sophomore Kaley Fruge and seniors Samantha Papp and Sarah Van Schaik also recorded hits for the Golden Eagles in the contest.

Southern Miss will return to action on Friday when they travel to Waco, Texas to play in the Getterman Classic. The Golden Eagles begin the tournament with a matchup against UT Arlington at 12:30 p.m.