THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University softball team had an impressive home debut on Wednesday as the Colonels swept a doubleheader against Jackson State, 7-4 and 6-4, at the Colonel Softball Complex.
 
Coming off its lone loss of the season, the Colonels recorded 23 hits against Jackson State (1-4), led by Amanda Gianelloni with five hits and three RBIs. Hannah Haydel (3-1) and Megan Landry (3-0) picked up wins for the Colonels in the circle.
 
Game 1 – Nicholls 7, Jackson State 4
 
Senior Hannah Haydel put together a solid six-plus inning effort and freshman Kasey Frederick had two hits including her first career homer as the Colonels fended off a late comeback by the Lady Tigers with a 7-4 win.
 
Haydel fanned nine batters in six innings of work, but re-entered the game in the seventh with two outs to preserve her victory. Leading 7-2, Ashleigh Downing allowed two runs on a hit and three walks, loading the bases with two down. Haydel came back in and retired JSU's Ashley Neal on a pop up to short to seal the win.
 
Haydel surrendered two runs in the fifth after Nicholls had built a 7-0 lead. She finished the game with 6.1 innings pitched, two hits allowed and walked one.
 
Nicholls wasted no time in taking the lead with two runs in the first, and added three more in the second. A groundout by Brooke Morris put Nicholls up 3-0, followed by a bases loaded walk from Alexis Huss and a run came home on an illegal pitch.
 
In the third, Frederick sent a shot over the left field wall to start the frame. Morris then made it 7-0 with a RBI single.
 
Game 2 – Nicholls 6, Jackson State 4
 
Freshman Amanda Gianelloni went 4-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs to lead the offense and fellow classmate Megan Landry tossed a complete game to lift Nicholls to a 6-4 win.
 
Gianelloni hit the ball hard in all four at-bats, sparking a three-run first inning with an RBI double. Moriah Strother added an RBI single and Frederick brought home a run on a sac fly.
 
Landry cruised through the first two frames but allowed three runs in the third. With two outs, Jackson State scored their first run on an error before Chelsea Smith ripped a double down the left field line to even the score at 3-3.
 
Nicholls regained the lead in the fourth after another RBI hit by Gianelloni through the left side. With runners on first and second, Huss sent a rocket to center field, but Tatyana Givens made an outstanding catch to save an extra-base hit. Despite the great play, Morris was able to tag up from second and scored, giving the Colonels a 5-3 advantage.
 
Jackson State tagged Landry for three hits in the fifth to cut the deficit to 5-4, but the Colonels added a much needed insurance run in the sixth on a two-out double by Gianelloni. The Lady Tigers threatened in their final at-bat by putting two on with one out before Haley Stevenson caught a hard liner at third and fired to first for a game-ending double play.
 
Morris finished the game with two hits and three runs scored. In the circle, Landry allowed five hits and four unearned runs in seven innings of work. She finished with five strikeouts and walked two.
 
Nicholls will take part in the Black and Gold Tournament this weekend in Montgomery, Ala. The Colonels will play five games, starting Friday with contests against Middle Tennessee State and Alabama State.