THIBODAUX, La.  – The Nicholls State University softball team will make its 2013 home debut on Wednesday as the Colonels take on South Alabama. First pitch at the Colonel Softball Complex is scheduled for 5 p.m.

Nicholls (4-5) heads into the game on a three-game losing streak, which was preceded by three wins in a row. The Colonels opened up play in the Purple & Gold Challenge with a 2-1 victory against North Dakota State, but lost its last three games by a combined three runs, including a 1-0 setback against No. 10 LSU.

Freshman Haley Parkerson leads the Colonels at the plate, batting .429 in eight games. Parkerson had a great second week, accounting for five hits and four walks for a .643 on-base percentage. The native of Senoia, Ga. had her two best outings against the Colonels' toughest competition as she went 2-for-3 in each game versus Virginia and LSU.

Seniors Leah Andrus and Ashley Bertot have a team-high nine hits, while freshman Danielle Phillips has drove in seven runs. Andrus and Phillips lead the Colonels with three doubles each.

In the circle, the Colonels have a collective 1.06 ERA, with Katie Moulder and Hannah Haydel sporting sub-1.00 ERAs. Ashton Bennett leads the team with three wins, with Haydel earning the other. Despite only giving up a pair of earned runs in her two starts, Moulder has yet to notch a victory this season.

South Alabama (8-1) comes to Thibodaux riding a seven-game winning streak. USA opened the season with a 3-2 win against Mississippi State before suffering a 2-1 loss to Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. Since the loss, the Jaguars have been red-hot, winning four games by mercy rule and sweeping their Mardi Gras Invitational, going 5-0.

While the Jaguar pitching has been strong, South Alabama is hitting .317 with 10 home runs and has scored 61 runs.  Blair Johnson leads the team with 10 hits, with four others racking up eight. Meghan Collins has been the team's best run producer, driving in 10.

Farish Beard heads the Jaguar pitching staff with an unblemished 4-0 record.  She has one shutout on the year and has struck out 27 batters in 23.1 innings off work.

The meeting between the Colonels and Jaguars will be broadcast live on ThibodauxOnline.com.

Following the home opener, Nicholls will hit the road for its next 10 games before returning to Thibodaux for its Southland Conference opener against Lamar on March 9.