HATTIESBURG, Miss – The Nicholls State University softball team belted three home runs against Southern Miss, with two coming a nine-run sixth inning as the Colonels run-ruled the Golden Eagles, 11-2, in six innings Wednesday night at the USM Softball Complex.
 
With the win, Nicholls improved to 9-4 on the season and has defeated Southern Miss (6-9) all three times in the last two seasons.
 
The game was tied at 2-all heading into the decisive inning before Nicholls plated six runs before recording an out. The first came on a Bailey Hughes walk and the Colonels grabbed a 5-2 lead after two scored on a fielder's choice and an error. Two batters later, Gianelloni hit a grand slam to make it a 9-2 game. After two outs, Kasey Frederick then hit the third homer of the game, this one a two-run shot to left center. Hughes had the first long bomb of the game, giving Nicholls a 2-0 lead in the fourth.
 
After three shutout innings, Megan Landry (5-2) allowed two runs to come in on a single by Sarah Van Schaik. Landry went on to toss five innings for the win, surrendering four hits and one earned run.
 
Alexis LaBure pitched the sixth, forcing Southern Miss into its second double play of the game for the last two outs.
 
Gianelloni went 4-for-4 in the win and is 10-for-10 over the last three games. Frederick added two hits and Kelsey Miller had two as well.
 
UP NEXT
 
Nicholls will head to Texas for the North Texas Invitational, taking on the Tulsa, UT Arlington and the host Mean Green. The tournament begins Friday at 11 a.m.