THIBODAUX, La.  – The recipe for success for the Nicholls State University softball team this season has been outstanding pitching, solid defense and timely hitting and all three were on display once again as the Colonels extended their winning streak to 12 games with a 5-0 victory over Lamar on Friday night at the Colonel Softball Complex.
 
With the win, the Colonels improved to 37-14 on the season and 20-4 in the Southland. Nicholls clinched at least the No. 2 seed in next week's Southland Conference Tournament, guaranteeing the Colonels a bye in the first round. The win also keeps Nicholls in the hunt for the regular season title as McNeese won its opener on Friday against Central Arkansas to maintain its half-game lead for first place.
 
Senior Hannah Haydel dominated in the circle once again, stifling the Southland's second-rated offense as she improved to 21-7 on the season after her third shutout of the year. Lamar (31-19, 17-8) spotted the Colonels two runs in the first inning after committing three errors, and it proved to be more than enough for Haydel as she allowed just four hitting in seven innings of work. Two hits came in the final frame for Lamar, but Haydel ended the game on her fifth strikeout of the night.
 
Haydel was charged with two errors, but the rest of the defense was flawless in the win, especially in the fifth inning. Trailing 2-0, Lamar loaded the bases with no outs after a walk, a single up the middle and Haydel's second error. However, Colonel second baseman Brooke Morris, who has had just one error on the season, came up big to keep Lamar off the board.
 
Haydel got Kelly Meeuwsen to ground to Morris, who fired the ball home to get the force out. The next batter, Brittany Rodriguez, did the same thing as Morris connected with catcher Kayla Prater for the second out. Morris then fielded a grounder by Brynn Baca and went to first to retire the side, preserving the Colonels'  2-0 lead.
 
The excellent effort sparked the Colonel offense as they cranked out eight hits in the next two innings to go up 5-0. Freshman Amanda Gianelloni tripled and scored on a double by fellow classmate Veronica Villafranco in the fifth, and another freshman, Kasey Frederick, made it 4-0 with a bloop single to right. In the sixth, the Colonels loaded the bases after singles by Haley Stevenson, and seniors Danielle Phillips and Kristen Ahearn. Villafranco then recorded her third RBI of the night with a base hit to right.
 
Phillips had a great start to her senior weekend as she went 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored. She led off with a walk in the first, which started the two-run inning for the Colonels. Following Phillips' free pass, LU third baseman Sable Hankins was charged with three straight errors, giving Nicholls a 1-0 lead. Frederick made it 2-0 after beating out an infield single.
 
Haydel walked five batters on the night, but stranded a total on nine base runners. Her counterpart, Ciara Luna (15-6), took the loss for Lamar after allowing two earned runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings of work. Luna has been one of the best pitchers in the Southland as she entered the game with a 10-1 record in league play. Laura Napoli threw an inning-plus, surrendering a run on five hits.
 
Along with Phillips, Nicholls was led at the plate by Villafranco and Frederick with two hits each. Morris and Alexis Huss also had singles in the win.
 
Saturday will conclude the Colonels' remarkable regular season. Nicholls will honor its seven-member senior class following the doubleheader finale, scheduled to start at 12 p.m.