CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas  – The Nicholls State University softball team received 14 shutout innings from Hannah Haydel and Megan Landry as the Colonels swept Saturday's doubleheader at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi with 4-0 and 1-0 victories at Chapman Field.
 
With Saturday's wins, Nicholls (19-12, 6-2 SLC) earned its first sweep in conference since April of 2013 when they won at all three games at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (11-19, 1-8 SLC). The victories also extend the Colonels' conference winning streak to five games.
 
Nicholls will take on Southern on the road on Wednesday before hosting a big series next weekend against Central Arkansas, which posts a 6-3 mark in conference. Game one will be Friday (April 1) at 6 p.m., with Saturday's doubleheader scheduled for noon.
 
Game 1 – Nicholls 4, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 0
 
Behind another outstanding performance in the circle from senior Hannah Haydel, the Colonels took Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Islanders, 4-0.
 
With Haydel allowing just one hit in six innings of work, the offense did not need to provide much help, but used a pair of early triples to score two runs. Amanda Gianelloni tripled in the first and scored on the play as the throw to third went into the dugout. In the third, Danielle Phillips delivered a two-out three bagger as she ripped a shot to right center, allowing Haley Parkerson to come around to score.
 
The Islanders put a pair on in the bottom half as Haydel walked the first two batters, but Brooke Morris made a great play at second as she fielded a grounder, tagged the runner and fired to first for a double play. Haydel issued another walk before ending the frame with a strikeout looking.
 
In the fourth, Alexis Huss led off with a single and Jessica Taylor drew a walk, setting up a two-run double by Gretchen Morgan. On the first pitch, Morgan laced a hit down the right field line, giving Nicholls a 4-0 lead.
 
Haydel tossed three more hitless innings, before Megan Landry came in to pitch the seventh. Landry allowed the Islanders' second hit of the game, but did not let a run come across the plate as the Colonels recorded their fifth shutout of the season.
 
Haydel (10-6) notched her 10^th victory of the season after allowing just a single hit in the opening frame. She finished with three strikeouts and walked five. Stephanie Flores (0-5) took the loss, allowing three earned runs on five hits in seven innings.
 
Huss led the offense with two hits, while Parkerson had two walks and a run scored.
 
Game 2 – Nicholls 1, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 0
 
Amanda Gianelloni's double in the fourth led to the game's only run and Megan Landry carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning as the Colonels picked up a 1-0 victory over the Islanders.
 
Gianelloni, who was 3-for-3 in the win, led off the fourth with a double to left center and moved to third on a groundout by Alexis Huss. Kristen Ahearn then hit a grounder to short, which allowed Gianelloni to score from third for the 1-0 lead.
 
Landry (9-5) was literally unhittable for most of the game as the only Islander to reach base through the first five innings was on a walk in the second. But with one out in the sixth, the Islanders recorded their first hit off Landry as Savannah Sandoval was credited with an infield single, denying Landry her second no-hitter of the season.
 
The hit left the Colonels a little flustered as Sandoval moved to second on a wild pitch and a bunt was misplayed by Kristen Ahearn at third, putting runners at the corners with one out. But Ahearn quickly made up for the mistake as she fielded a chopper on the next play and fired a strike to Moriah Strother at home to get Sandoval out trying to score. Landry then got out of the inning with a groundout to second.
 
The Islanders put together one last rally as they added two more infield singles in the seventh with one out. But Landry forced a pop out to short for the second out and ended the game with swinging strikeout.
 
Landry tossed her sixth complete game of the year, finishing with seven strikeouts. Colleen Bentke (3-6) had a strong outing for the Islanders, surrendering four hits in seven innings.
 
Gianelloni's three hits led the Colonels, while Gretchen Morgan added a base hit.