THIBODAUX, La. - After closing out last weekend with back-to-back wins, the Nicholls State University softball team will look to continue its strong play in the 2019 Mardi Gras Invitational, hosted by the University of South Alabama.

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

The Colonels (7-4) split with Nevada and fell to Maryland in the Houston Classic, but ended the weekend with an eight-inning 2-0 victory against host Houston, and a run-rule win over ULM.

Senior pitcher Megan Landry was honored for her outstanding week, going 4-0 with a 0.23 ERA. She picked up the win in the Colonels' home game against Southern Miss, then had shutouts against Nevada and Houston. She is 6-1 on the year with a 0.92 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 48.2 innings.

At the plate, sophomore Emma Holland leads the team with 12 hits, six RBIs and a .375 batting average. She started 2019 with an eight-game hitting streak and has two multi-hit games. Classmate Kelsey Miller is also batting .375, totaling six hits in eight games.

Hofstra started out its season 0-4 but played in a loaded St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational. They suffered losses to No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 18 Kentucky, and No. 17 Oklahoma State. They also fell to Utah, which was receiving votes.

Illinois (7-2) comes into the weekend as the No. 25 team in the country. One of their losses was against Southland member Sam Houston State in the opening weekend, but the Fighting Illini have since won four straight, sweeping their games against Georgia Tech and Boston College in the ACC/Big 10 Challenge.

South Alabama (4-5) is hosting a tournament for the second straight weekend. USA went 3-1 in the Jaguar Challenge and was handed a 4-1 loss at No. 1 Florida State on Wednesday.

This weekend will mark the first meetings for the Colonels against Hofstra and Illinois, while they will be looking to end a nine-game streak in the series against South Alabama. Nicholls and USA last played in 2015 as the Jaguars won both meetings, 7-2 and 11-7.

FOLLOW ALONG
The Colonel softball team can be followed all season long on Twitter @Nicholls_SB.
 

Look at this great bunch....just tryin' to make it! #RainPractice pic.twitter.com/ZtWJGqmecA

— Nicholls Softball (@Nicholls_SB) February 21, 2019