THIBODAUX, La.  – The Nicholls State University softball team will take on Sam Houston State this weekend for its first conference series at home, starting Saturday with a doubleheader.
 
The series was pushed back a day to avoid Friday's inclement weather. The Colonels' Saturday doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m., with Sunday's single game slated for 12 p.m.
 
Nicholls earned a split in its conference opener last weekend at Stephen F. Austin in a rain-shortened series as the first game was canceled due to rain. The Colonels (14-10, 1-1 SLC) used a solid outing from senior Hannah Haydel to defeat the Ladyjacks, 5-3, but SFA cranked out three homers in the second game to win 6-1.
 
Haydel has been one of the Southland's top pitchers this season, posting a 7-4 win-loss record with a SLC-best 1.83 ERA and .191 opposing batting average. Freshman Megan Landry also has seven wins for Nicholls, tallying a 2.23 ERA and 57 strikeouts.  As a team, the Colonels are second in the league in ERA with a 2.39 mark and lead the conference with a .217 average.
 
Another freshman, Amanda Gianelloni, heads the offense and ranks ninth in the league in batting at .384. Gianelloni was hitless in the Colonels' previous two games before conference play, but responded by recording three in the doubleheader last Sunday. Alexis Huss is second on the team with .347 average, and she has combined with Gianelloni for 35 RBIs.
 
Sam Houston enters the series with a six-game losing streak and a 5-15 overall record. The Bearkats opened conference play last weekend against McNeese State and were swept in the three games. McNeese won all three games by run-rule, outscoring Sam Houston 33-6.
 
The Bearkats are hitting .261 as a team, led by Dani Allen with a .370 average. In the circle, SHSU has a 5.24 ERA with Lindsey McLeod posting a 3-3 record and a 4.57 ERA.
 
Following the weekend series, Nicholls will head to Baton Rouge to take on No. 4 LSU on Tuesday, March 22. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.