THIBODAUX, La. - The Nicholls State University softball team captured wins in two completely different fashions on Friday, sweeping its doubleheader against Lamar with 5-1 and 10-4 victories at Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park.

Nicholls (14-20, 6-5 SLC) and Lamar (18-15, 6-5 SLC) will wrap up the series on Saturday with a 9:30 a.m. first pitch. Following the game, the Colonels will recognize seniors Molly VandenBout and Riley Rutherford. 

Game 1 - Nicholls 5, Lamar 1

Molly Yoo tossed a two-hit complete game while seniors VandenBout and Rutherford provided more than enough offense in the first inning as the Colonels cruised to a 5-1 win in the series opener.

Lamar plated a run in the first despite not recording a hit, scoring on an error for a 1-0 advantage. But the offense quickly picked up the slack when VandenBout launched her first home run of the season with a two-run shot to left center. Rutherford capped the inning with an RBI single for a 3-1 lead.

Yoo kept the Cardinals hitless until the fifth inning when Kalie Amos slapped a single into the outfield. Lamar moved runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt with two down, but Yoo forced a groundout to keep the two-run lead. In the bottom half, Brynne Songy pushed the margin to 5-1 with a two-out, bases-loaded single. 

LU got its second hit of the game in the sixth but a double play erased the runner. Then in the seventh, Yoo retired the Cardinals in order to finish her complete game.

Yoo struck out four in the win to improve to 6-7 on the season. For the offense, Claire Sisco, VandenBout and Reagan Heflin each tallied two hits.

Game 2 - Nicholls 10, Lamar 4

Lamar led 4-2 in the sixth inning but Nicholls rallied with eight runs on seven hits in the bottom of the frame to secure the series with a 10-4 victory. 

Lamar scored its first two runs with solo homers by Veronica Harrison and Jayne Sepulveda, while Nicholls took advantage of a wild pitch for a run and scored another on an error. But the Colonels returned the favor in the fourth with a throwing error to put LU up 3-2.

The Cardinals extended their lead to 4-2 in the sixth after Raigan Brannon drove in a run with a double, chasing VandenBout out of the game. The senior finished with three earned runs on six hits in 5.2 innings. 

In the Colonel sixth, Helfin and Lilianna Robledo singled before Rutherford drew a walk to load the bases. LU went to the bullpen with no outs, bringing in Sabrina Jolin, who retired the first batter on a fielder's choice, getting the runner out at home. But on the next play, Jolin fielded a grounder and went home but the throw was too high, allowing two runs to score and tie the game.

The Colonels followed with three consecutive run-scoring hits. Ally Mooneyham brought in a run on an infield single, then Claire Sisco ripped a two-run double for a 7-4 advantage. Erin Krause made it 8-4 with an RBI single.

LU brought back starting pitcher Reagan Smith into the game and VandenBout greeted her with a double. Helfin drove in a run with a base knock before Robledo ended the scoring with a sacrifice fly. 

Averi Paden finished off Lamar with three flyouts in the seventh to pick up the win.

Sisco and Heflin led the offense with three hits each.