Softball: Colonel Pitching dominates in doubleheader sweep of Lamar

BEAUMONT, Texas – After allowing Lamar to rally for a win in the series opener, the Nicholls State University softball team received outstanding pitching performances by Megan Landry and Emily Danehower to take both games Saturday, 3-0 and 3-1, to notch their fifth consecutive Southland Conference series victory.

Nicholls heads into the final weekend of the regular season at 30-18 overall and 19-5 in the SLC. With only three games left on the slate, the Colonels trail Sam Houston State by 1.0 games in the standings, and the Bearkats have the head-to-head tiebreaker after winning the series in Thibodaux. Nicholls leads the ‘Kats’ final opponent, SFA, by two games for second place.

In the opener against Lamar (23-30, 14-10), Landry bounced back from her rough seventh inning Friday to record her ninth shutout of the season, all while setting a new personal high with 23 wins. She gave up just five hits and walked one, stranding all six on base.

Nicholls gave Landry a 1-0 lead to work with after her battery mate, Kali Clement, doubled to start the second inning. She then scored on a Caitlin Garcia groundout.

In the sixth, the Colonels added to their lead with a pair of runs. Amanda Gianelloni doubled with one out, extending her hitting streak to 16 games which tied the program record. Clement had an RBI single and Samantha Dares walked with the bags full for a 3-0 lead.

Lamar had a leadoff double in the sixth, but Landry retired the next six batters to end the game.

In the second contest, Danehower carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning before going on to get the victory in the 3-1 Colonel win.

Danehower (5-1) walked four in the first six innings but was able to work around it. With Nicholls up 3-0 in the seventh, Lamar broke up the no-hit bid when Friday’s hero, Kelly Meeuwsen, doubled to start the frame. She later ended the shutout, scoring on an infield single.

Nicholls had only five hits, with five different Colonels recording one. However, Gianelloni was not one of the five after walking twice and driving in a run on a sacrifice fly, going 0-for-1 and ending her hitting streak at 16 games. With the walks, her on-base streak extended to 17 games.

Senior Veronica Villafranco made the start at catcher and delivered a run-scoring double in the second. Gianelloni’s sac fly came in the fifth, and the Colonels scored their final run in the same inning when Samantha Mracich stole second and scored on an error.

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Nicholls will play its final series of the regular season against Southeastern Louisiana, hosting the Lady Lions for three games at Swanner Field. Friday’s first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m., with Senior Day Saturday kicking off with a noon doubleheader.