THIBODAUX, La. - The Nicholls State University softball team pounded out 27 hits to notch a pair of run-rule wins over Jackson State, 10-0 in five innings and 11-3 in six innings, on Wednesday afternoon at Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park.

With rain expected this weekend, the team moved up its game times against Lamar on Friday, March 28 to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday's finale will now start at 10 a.m. with Senior Day ceremonies to follow after the game.

Game 1 - Nicholls 10, Jackson State 0 (5 inn.)

Molly VandenBout tossed a five-hit shutout while the offense pushed across nine runs in the fourth for a 10-0 run-rule victory.

VandenBout helped herself at the plate as well as she was one of three Colonels with two hits. She and fellow senior Riley Rutherford each drove in two runs.

Nicholls scored in the second after an error was followed by a Carmella Muccilli triple down the third base line for a 1-0 lead.

Jackson State threatened in the fourth with three singles, but VandenBout got a popup and a flyout to leave the bags full. Then the Colonels broke the game open in the bottom half.

Brynne Songy started the scoring with an RBI single. Then with two on, Ally Mooneyham reached on a wild throw from the pitcher and made it all the way to third base. With no one covering home on the play, she took off and scored for a 5-0 advantage.

VandenBout followed with a two-run single, Reagan Heflin added a run-scoring hit and Rutherford then made it 10-0 by driving in two on a double.

VandenBout walked the leadoff batter in the fifth but a 6-4-3 double play would end the game.

Game 2 - Nicholls 11, Jackson State 3 (6 inn.)

The Colonels scored in five of the six innings in Game 2 to secure a doubleheader sweep with an 11-3 win.

After seeing her 10-game hitting streak come to an end in Game 1, Claire Sisco racked up three hits and three runs scored. VandenBout also had three hits and drove in four. VandenBout belted a double in the first for a 2-0 lead, then Lilianna Robledo hit her first career home run to make the count 4-0.

Jackson State scored in the top of the second, but Nicholls answered with two in the bottom half. Sisco doubled in a run before VandenBout singled for a 6-1 lead.

Nicholls added two in the third after Robledo had a base hit and Alyssa Naquin brought in a runner on a sacrifice fly. Then in the fourth, VandenBout put the run-rule into play with a sac fly.

But Jackson State stayed alive with a bases loaded walk in the fifth. In the next frame, Valarie Joaquin made it 9-3 with an RBI single.

In the Colonel sixth, Sydni Stevens led off with a single before VandenBout doubled for the second time in the game. Sydney Mann gave Nicholls a 10-3 advantage with a run-scoring  single to left and Nevanna Smith roped a single to left for the walk-off run-rule win. 

Libby May picked up the win with no earned runs in 3.0 innings, striking out five. Averi Paden made the start with 3.0 innings, allowing one run on two hits.