Information session set for today on business recovery grant
January 31, 2007Nathan Robinson
February 2, 2007
After finishing last season with a 23-33 overall record and earning a berth in the Southland Conference Tournament, the Nicholls State Lady Colonels softball team hopes to build on last year’s success and contend for a conference title.
Head softball coach Jenny Parsons said she believes good things can happen if the team continues to get better.
“The pitchers are getting better,” Parsons said. “I think we walked too many people last year and gave up too many easy bases.”
Parsons added, “We need to get our extra outs that we gave up at the end of the year. If we can focus on that and continue to score runs then good things can happen.”
The Lady Colonels return three of the four pitchers that saw action last season. Krystalin Ensminger (3.85 ERA), who led the team in strikeouts last season with 96, will return along with Jessica Barksdale (5.40 ERA) and Alexandra “Alexi” Austin (5.16 ERA).
Besides the three pitchers, the Lady Colonels return an array of talent from last year’s tournament team.
Led by preseason ALL-SLC selections Leah Peterson and Kat Harrell, the Colonels look to fill the voids left behind by Brandi Hahn and Meghan Mulcahy, according to Parsons.
“I think Leah Peterson is going to have a good finish to her senior season,” Parsons said. “Danielle Clayton, Kodi Butler, Rachel Pugh and Amy Thibodaux have also begun to shine right now. We lost some RBI’s by losing Brandi (Hahn) and Meghan (Mulcahy) but the nucleus of the team is back.”
Jennifer Cambell, Haley Burkett and Jacqueline Pacheco will also be the veterans returning this season.
In addition to the returning talent from last year, this year’s squad will have a number of new, but familiar faces.
Local products Leah Bland (Thibodaux High) and Gabby Lemaire (Vandebilt) will be joined by Southern Mississippi transfer and former H.L. Bourgeois standout Lacey Gros. Gros set a school record in strikeouts while at H.L. Bourgeois with 1,103. She finished with a 24-7 mark in her senior season with a .29 ERA. She was also named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team while at Southern Miss before transferring at the end of last season. Ashley Martin and Brynn Lambert will also make their debuts for the Lady Colonels this year.
With less than a month left before their season opener at the Nevada-Las Vegas tournament on Feb. 9-11, Parsons said she is confident with the way the team has been hitting in practice.
“I’m confident that we will continue to improve,” Parsons said. “We are hitting the ball real well right now which is what we need to do to create opportunities this season.”
The Lady Colonels showed signs of that during a scrimmage in Oct. At the Spring Klein College Classic held in Houston Texas Oct. 25, the Colonels belted eight home runs in three games, finishing the tournament with a 2-1 record. The Colonels defeated Galveston College (15-3) and Big XII member Oklahoma State (4-1) while they lost to Texas A & M (6-2).
Photo by DOUG KEESE • NSU * Junior Kat Harrell will be counted on as a leader on this year’s Nicholls softball team. Harrell, a preseason All-SLC selection, led the Lady Colonel at the plate last season, hitting .382.
