Defending champion Colonels land 8 on Preseason All-Southland Softball Team

Losing just one starter from last season’s championship squad, the Nicholls State University softball team had a league-high eight players named to the 2019 Preseason All-Southland Teams, which the conference office revealed Tuesday afternoon.
The Colonels also had a conference-best six first-team selections in addition to a pair on the second-team roster. Seven were automatic selections after earning All-Southland last season, and junior first baseman Samantha Dares was voted onto the preseason second team by the coaches.
Three-time All-Southland shortstop Amanda Gianelloni headlines a senior trio. Along with being one of the best defensive players in the conference, she hit .349 with five home runs and 34 RBIs. She is joined by two-time first-teamer Kasey Frederick and reigning Pitcher of the Year Megan Landry. Frederick led Nicholls with a .377 average, 16 doubles, 42 RBIs and was third in homers with seven. Landry, a Central Catholic High alum, finished 22-7 with a 1.94 ERA and 127 strikeouts a year ago.
Kali Clement, who transferred in last season, was the 2018 Newcomer of the Year and a second-team honoree as a utility player. Clement totaled 51 hits for a .321 average and was second on the team with eight dingers.
Rounding out the first-team selections are sophomores Jewel Lara and Kelsey Miller. At third base, Lara was the league’s Freshman of the Year last season and landed on the first team after batting .344 with 13 doubles and 24 RBIs. Miller started 47 games in the outfield and hit .315 with 29 runs scored as the leadoff hitter.
The two second-team recipients were pitcher Alexis LaBure and Dares. LaBure provided Nicholls with a lethal 1-2 punch in the circle, going 14-6 with a 2.52 ERA, five saves and 121 strikeouts. Dares tallied a .328 batting average with 10 doubles and two home runs.
The preseason all-conference teams are voted upon by the league’s head coaches. Returning players from the 2018 All-Conference First and Second teams automatically are named to the 2019 Preseason All-Conference teams at their respective positions. Second-team players are elevated to the first team if the first-team slot is vacated by a non-returning player at the same position.