Nicholls softball finishes 4-1 this weekend

The Nicholls State University softball team finished the weekend 4-1 at Southeastern Louisiana University’s Lion Classic.
The Colonels defeated Army (3-1), Mississippi Valley State (4-3), Southern Illinois (3-1) and Coppin State (13-0). The Colonels’ lone setback was a 1-0 loss to Nevada.
Friday against Army, Nicholls sophomore Megan Landry nearly duplicated her performance from last year’s Lion Classic as she took a no-hitter into the seventh inning.
Landry, a Central Catholic alum who tossed a no-hitter in her first career game last season against Mississippi Valley State, shutdown the Black Knights until Alee Rashenskas ripped a base knock into center to start the seventh. Landry issued her fourth walk to the next batter but then caught a line drive to turn a double play. The final out was recorded on a fly to right field.
Nicholls finished with seven hits, but could not crack the scoring column until scoring a run in the fourth inning.
In the fifth, the Colonels extended their lead with two runs. Veronica Villafranco delivered an RBI base hit to center, and Kasey Frederick capped the frame with a run-scoring single through the left side.
On the mound, Landry finished with seven strikeouts in seven innings.
Against Mississippi Valley State Friday, the Colonels used a three-run third inning to take the lead and senior Jackie Johnson handled the rest as she tossed six innings of hitless relief.
Nicholls scored a first-inning run on a wild pitch for a 1-0 lead, and Mississippi Valley State scored twice in the bottom half of the first.
Johnson came into the game with the bases loaded and no outs and limited Mississippi Valley State to the single run, striking out two.
The Colonels answered in the third with three runs on two hits. The first scored on a Mississippi Valley State error, and Amanda Gianelloni smacked a single to left to tie the game at 3. The final run scored via a Villafranco groundout.
Against Southern Illinois Saturday, Samantha Mracich went 3-for-4 and drove in all three runs, while Landry tossed another gem.
Landry pitched a complete game, scattering seven hits and struck out six.
Scoreless through four innings, Nicholls ended the drought in the fifth with two runs via a Mracich shot up the middle to give the Colonels a 2-0 lead.
In the seventh, Sydney Bourg scored again off the bat of Mracich on another single up the middle.
In the bottom of the seventh, Landry looked to be on her way for her second shutout in as many games, but the Salukis tagged her with her first earned run of the season.
Against Nevada, a two-out run in the second by Nevada was the difference as a pitcher’s duel broke out between Johnson and Nevada’s Kali Sargent.
Johnson threw a complete game against the Wolf Pack, finishing with two strikeouts while allowing five hits. Her counterpart also surrendered five hits and had two strikeouts.
Against Coppin State, Nicholls recorded a run-rule victory Sunday as Landry dealt four scoreless innings, while Kendal Daniels and Amanda Gianelloni homered.
Landry earned her third win in as many starts, striking out five while allowing two hits. She finished the opening weekend with a 0.39 ERA in 18 innings and struck out 18.
Landry was perfect through three before allowing two hits in the fourth.
Nicholls’ offense cranked out eight hits and scored in each inning, highlighted by four-run frames in the second and fifth innings.
The Colonels will make their home debut Wednesday with a doubleheader against Jackson State. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.