HATTIESBURG, Miss. --- Freshman Penny Nichols tossed her second career shutout as the Mississippi College softball team picked up a doubleheader split at William Carey on Wednesday afternoon at Joseph and Nancy Fail Field.

The Lady Choctaws (25-10) had their 13-game win streak snapped with a 2-0 loss in the opener, but bounced back behind Nichols' (11-4) strong effort to beat the Crusaders (20-9) in the second game, 2-0.

In the finale, the game would be scoreless through four innings before junior Megan Everett broke the tie with a two-out RBI single to score senior Lauren Mulligan and take a 1-0 lead.

It looked like WC would get the run right back in their half of the fifth, loading the bases with no outs, but Everett threw a runner out at the plate on a sinking line drive and freshman Kristen Qualls turned a double play getting the second runner at third base. Nichols was able to coax a lineout to fresman Alexia Harmon to end the inning.

In the sixth, junior Tylan Buckley singled and Qualls doubled to lead off the frame, putting runners at second and third with no outs. After a groundout, senior Kimmie Conley drove Buckley in with a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 2-0.

Nichols would take over from there as the Orange City, Fla. native retired the final six batters of the game in order to close out the shutout.

Everett and sophomore Katherine Lee led the MC offense with two hits apiece. Nichols allowed just five hits with one strikeout in the victory.

Rachel Hickman (8-5) took the loss for the Crusaders, giving up seven hits and two earned runs over 6.0 innings.

In the opener, WC jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with second-inning run on a wild pitch and an unearned run in the third inning.

It was all the offense Hannah Moak (8-4) would need as she gave up just three hits over the shutout.

Senior Carlie Sargent (13-5) matched Moak pitch-for-pitch, but WC was opportunistic with their scoring chances. She allowed just one earned run with six strikeouts over the complete game effort.

The Lady Choctaws will be back in Gulf South Conference action this weekend, hosting Valdosta State for a three-game series at the MC Softball Complex. The series opens on Saturday with a doubleheader at 4:00 p.m. with the finale on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.