Box Score THIBODAUX – The first three innings of Saturday's series finale were crisp, clean and productive for Northwestern State. The next three innings however were anything but NSU, allowing Nicholls to chip away at the lead for an eventual walk-off 4-3 win in extra innings.
 
The Lady Demons (16-13, 3-3) got out to its third three-run lead in as many games against the Colonels with seven hits in the first three innings. Just one hit over the next three innings, combined with two critical errors and some defensive missteps led to single Colonel runs in each of those innings setting the stage for the win.
 
"We just didn't make plays today," head coach Donald Pickett said. "They may have counted three, but I think we made four or more errors in the game that turned one base into two and three. That helped them get back in the game and were able to get that run across in extras. Maggie did a good job of giving us a quality start, I just wish we would have been a little bit better behind her today."
 
For the second time in the series, the Demons took a first-inning lead thanks to Bailie Ragsdale and Taylor Williams' ability to get on base. The duo started the game with sharp singles and moved into scoring position on a grounder to short. 
 
Kat Marshall gave NSU the first run of the day on an RBI groundout to the right of pitching circle before Makenzie Chaffin laced a ball to left center on the first pitch she saw to score the second run. 
 
After two more hits in the second, but no runs, the Demons started a two-out rally with a Marshall double in her second at-bat. Chaffin lined her second hit of the day to right bringing Camryn Ford around to score and giving NSU a 3-0 lead through three innings. 
 
The offense was clicking on all cylinders early and equally as good was Maggie Darr in the circle throwing three no-hit innings to start the game with just a hit batter serving as the only base runner. Darr K'd four batters on her first trip through the lineup during that stretch.
 
Everything was working for the Demons just how they wanted it through the first three innings.
 
A Colonel pitching changed kept NSU off balance through the middle part of the game, limiting the Demons to just one hit in the fourth through sixth innings, a double from Chaffin with one out in the sixth.
 
Meanwhile the slightest misjudge of a ball in the outfield turned the Colonels first hit of the day from a single to a triple and eventual run on a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Two errors in the fifth allowed the next Colonel run to score and a leadoff double in the sixth served as the tying run on a one-out double two batters later, tying the game at three after six innings.
 
The Demons got the go-ahead run to second in the seventh after Ragsdale's second hit of the day and a Williams walk, both with two out, but a grounder right to the first baseman sent the game to the bottom of the inning still even.
 
Bronte Rhoden cruised through the seventh with two strikeouts and a soft grounder to third sending the Demons to extra innings for the first time this year.
 
Nicholls had no answer for Chaffin on the day as she ripped her fourth hit of the day over the right fielder for her second double to once again put the go-ahead run in scoring position for NSU. 
 
"Mak had a good day today and a good weekend," Pickett said. "She's been doing that a lot this year and last and it's good to see her have that kind of success with all the work she puts in. We're going to have to have more of that as we go through conference and looking forward to see how she continues to progress offensively the rest of the year."
 
Perhaps the hardest hit ball of the day came two pitches later off the bat of Keely Dubois that was destined for extra bases, but caromed off the arm of the first baseman and landed right in front of the second baseman for an out that advanced Chaffin to third. Tristin Court battled through an 11-pitch at bat trying to bring in the run, but eventually went down swinging leaving Chaffin 60 feet away.
 
The strikeout ignited the Colonel dugout with the top of the order due up in the bottom of the inning. Three straight hits loaded the bases for Nicholls in the eighth before a soft liner to the outfield and the third recorded error of the day brought in the winning run.
 
Chaffin finished the day 4-for-4 with two doubles and two batted in, Ragsdale and Williams went a combined 4-for-7 at the top of the lineup with two runs scored.