THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University softball team started its new era at Swanner Field with a doubleheader sweep against Mississippi Valley State Tuesday night, winning 10-2 in five innings and 7-1.
The Colonels (16-7) played their first 21 games on the road before making its home debut against the Devilettes (3-16). Nicholls racked up 19 hits in the two wins and received strong pitching from starters
Megan Landry and
Alexis LaBure.
Amanda Holliday also pitched in game two, striking out four in 1.2 innings of relief.
Yasmeen Williams was the star of game one, going 3-for-3 with five RBIs as Nicholls picked up its second run-rule victory of the season. The Colonels had eight hits in the opener, including doubles by
Kasey Frederick and
Samantha Dares.
Megan Landry (10-3) earned the win, scattering eight hits in 5.0 innings of work. She finished with three strikeouts and walked one.
The Devilettes led with a run in the top of the second, but Williams put the Colonels on top with a 2-run single to right center. She then scored on a groundout by
Kelsey Miller.
In the third, MVSU scored again to make it 3-2, but Williams singled to the outfield for two more RBIs. Miller capped the inning with a bases-loaded walk for a 6-2 advantage.
Frederick's double plated two runs in the fourth and Williams drove in a run for the third consecutive inning, putting Nicholls a run away from the run-rule. In the fifth,
Amanda Gianelloni would end the game with a run-scoring single to left.
In the nightcap, Miller, Frederick and Dares each had two hits as Nicholls had 11 in the win. LaBure (4-3) notched the victory in the circle, fanning eight in 5.1 innings.
Frederick started the scoring in the second with a base hit to the right side, driving in Gianelloni. In the next inning, Nicholls made it a 4-0 game with four hits in the frame. Dares singled home a pair with the bases loaded and
Veronica Villafranco ripped a shot up the middle for the third run.
After Gianelloni drove in a run on a sacrifice fly in the fourth, the Colonels added two more in the next inning for a 7-0 lead. Miller singled to left for the first run and Williams blooped a shot to shallow center for the final one. Although Williams was credited with her sixth RBI of the day, she was not given a hit after the runner on first had to hold up and was thrown out at second after the ball landed safely.
MVSU cracked the scoring column on a single off of LaBure in the sixth, but Holliday came in and shut down the next five batters. The first out was on a grounder, and she went on to strikeout the next four.
UP NEXT
Nicholls will make its home conference debut this weekend against Stephen F. Austin. Friday's single game is scheduled for 6 p.m., and Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m.
