2023 Nicholls Colonels softball team explained

Mode:	softball
Year:	2023
Team:	Nicholls Colonels
Conference:	Southland Conference
Short Conf:	Southland
Record:	29–24
Conf Record:	13–11
Head Coach:	Justin Lewis
Hc Year:	2nd
Asst Coach1:	Ron Frost
Asst Coach2:	Kat Frakes
Stadium:	Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park

The 2023 Nicholls Colonels softball team represented Nicholls State University during the 2023 NCAA Division I softball season. The Colonels played their home games at Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park and were led by second-year head coach Justin Lewis. They are members of the Southland Conference.

Preseason

Southland Conference Coaches Poll

The Southland Conference Coaches Poll was released on January 26, 2023. Nicholls was picked to finish ninth in the Southland Conference with 32 votes.^[1]

Coaches poll
1	McNeese State	128 (16)
2	Southeastern Louisiana	113 (2)
3	Northwestern State	91
4	Texas A&M–Corpus Christi	85
5	Houston Christian	58
6	Lamar	49
7	Texas A&M–Commerce	47
8	Incarnate Word	45
9	Nicholls	32

Preseason All-Southland team

Two Nicholls players were named to the conference preseason second team.^[1]

First Team

• Crislyne Moreno (MCNS, SO, 1st Base)
• Caleigh Cross (MCNS, SR, 2nd Base)
• Jil Poullard (MCNS, JR, 3rd Base)
• Maddie Watson (SELA, SO, Shortstop)
• Bailey Krolczyk (SELA, JR, Catcher)
• Kaylee Lopez (MCNS, SR, Utility)
• Audrey Greely (SELA, JR, Designated Player)
• Laney Roos (NSU, JR, Outfielder)
• Alayis Seneca (MCNS, SR, Outfielder)
• Cam Goodman (SELA, JR, Outfielder)
• Ashley Vallejo (MCNS, JR, Pitcher)
• Bronte Rhoden (NSU, SR, Pitcher)

Second Team

• Sydney Hoyt (TAMUCC, JR, 1st Base)
• Madison Rayner (SELA, SR, 2nd Base)
• Haylie Savage (HCU, SO, 3rd Base)
• Ryleigh Mata (UIW, SO, Shortstop)
• Tristin Court (NSU, JR, Catcher)
• Melise Gossen (NICH, SR, Utility)
• Chloe Gomez (MCNS, JR, Designated Player)
• Alexa Poche (NICH, JR, Outfielder)
• Makenzie Chaffin (NSU, JR, Outfielder)
• Bailie Ragsdale (NSU, SO, Outfielder)
• Lyndie Swanson (HCU, JR, Pitcher)
• Siarah Galvan (TAMUCC, SO, Pitcher)

Schedule and results

Legend
	Nicholls win
	Nicholls loss
	Postponement/Cancellation
Bold	Nicholls team member

2023 Nicholls State Colonels softball game log
Regular season (29–24)
February (10–6) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC record Feb. 9 3–12 (5 inn) LINTON, Amber (1-0) Yoo, Molly (0-1) 0–1 Lion Classic Feb. 10 vs. 8–3 McNeill, Audrey (1-0) Gracie Johnston (0-1) 100 1–1 Feb. 11 vs. Missouri State North Oak Park • Hammond, LA colspan=12 Game cancelled due to weather LSU Invitational Feb. 12 19 3–6 Ellie Garcia (1-1) Yoo, Molly (0-2) Tarni Stepto (1) 247 1–2 Feb. 12 at 20 Tiger Park • Baton Rouge, LA 3–4 Alea Johnson (1-0) VandenBout, Molly (0-1) Sydney Berzon (2) 1,959 1–3 Mardi Gras Mambo Feb. 17 vs. 11–4 Yoo, Molly (1-2) LYON ANDREA (1-1) 200 2–3 Feb. 17 vs. Youngsville Sports Complex • Youngsville, LA 3–4 (8 inn) Isabelle True (0-0) Paden, Averi (0-0) 29 2–4 Feb. 18 vs. Youngsville Sports Complex • Youngsville, LA 12–2 (5 inn) Turner, Brittney (1-0) Cris'Deona Beasley (1-2) 88 3–4 Feb. 18 vs. Youngsville Sports Complex • Youngsville, LA 5–2 McNeill, Audrey (2-0) KNIGHT, Sophia (1-3) 75 4–4 Feb. 19 vs. Youngsville Sports Complex • Youngsville, LA 4–1 Yoo, Molly (1-2) CHAREST, Mollie (0-1) 5–4 Feb. 22 Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 9–0 (5 inn) McNeill, Audrey (3-0) Parker, Kiri (0-1) ESPN+ 203 6–4 Feb. 22 Alcorn State Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 12–1 (5 inn) Yoo, Molly (3-2) Fletcher, Ta'Niyah (0-1) ESPN+ 203 7–4 Black and Gold Invitational Feb. 24 vs. 4–1 McNeill, Audrey (4-0) Emma Taylor (0-1) Turner, Brittney (1) 8–4 Feb. 24 vs. Southern Miss Softball Complex • Hattiesburg, MS 11–0 (5 inn) Yoo, Molly (4-2) Danika Bryant (0-4) 743 9–4 Feb. 25 vs. Yale Southern Miss Softball Complex • Hattiesburg, MS 3–5 Maddie Latta (1-1) Paden, Averi (0-2) Nicole Conway (1) 9–5 Feb. 25 vs. Arkansas–Pine Bluff Southern Miss Softball Complex • Hattiesburg, MS 13–2 (5 inn) Turner, Brittney (2-0) Traelen Humphrey (0-2) 10–5 Feb. 26 at Southern Miss Softball Complex • Hattiesburg, MS 1–3 Morgan Leinstock (5-1) McNeill, Audrey (4-1) 744 10–6
March (10–7) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC record Mar. 1 at 13–0 (5 inn) Yoo, Molly (5-2) Macie Kuppenbender (1-2) 11–6 Mar. 1 at Jackson State Jackson State University Softball Stadium • Jackson, MS 8–0 Gremillion, Jensen (1-0) Takiya Hill (1-4) 12–6 Mar. 3 Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 3–4 Hulett, Gianni (5-1) McNeill, Audrey (4-2) ESPN+ 201 12–7 Mar. 4 Louisiana–Monroe Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 1–0 Yoo, Molly (6-2) Giddens, Kassidy (1-3) ESPN+ 132 13–7 Mar. 4 Louisiana–Monroe Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 2–3 Chavarria, Adrianna (4-1) McNeill, Audrey (4-3) Hulett, Gianni (4) ESPN+ 201 13–8 Mar. 7 Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA colspan=12 Game cancelled Mar. 7 Mississippi Valley State Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA colspan=12 Game cancelled Mar. 10 Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 2–4 (8 inn) Aaliyah Garcia (3-2) Yoo, Molly (6-3) ESPN+ 102 13–9 0–1 Mar. 10 Incarnate Word Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 10–2 (5 inn) McNeill, Audrey (5-3) Madison Floyd (1-4) ESPN+ 112 14–9 1–1 Mar. 11 Incarnate Word Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 3–0 McNeill, Audrey (6-3) Aaliyah Garcia (3-3) ESPN+ 151 15–9 2–1 Mar. 15 at Cancelled Mar. 17 4–5 (8 inn) Sanchez, Julia (3-5) Turner, Brittney (2-1) ESPN+ 326 15–10 2–2 Mar. 17 at Texas A&M–Commerce John Cain Family Softball Complex • Commerce, TX 15–6 (6 inn) Yoo, Molly (7-3) Arredondo, Anissa (2-8) ESPN+ 16–10 3–2 Mar. 18 at Texas A&M–Commerce John Cain Family Softball Complex • Commerce, TX 6–2 McNeill, Audrey (7-3) Sanchez, Julia (3-6) ESPN+ 203 17–10 4–2 Mar. 21 Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 2–5 Lagle, Madison (1-0) McNeill, Audrey (7-4) Hardy, Jenna (2) ESPN+ 102 17–11 Mar. 24 Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 5–6 Darr, Maggie (7-5) McNeill, Audrey (7-5) ESPN+ 131 17–12 4–3 Mar. 24 Northwestern State Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 1–3 Seely, Kenzie (4-2) Yoo, Molly (7-4) ESPN+ 102 17–13 4–4 Mar. 25 Northwestern State Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 4–3 (8 inn) Yoo, Molly (7-4) Rhoden, Bronte (2-2) 127 18–13 5–4 Mar. 31 3–2 (8 inn) Yoo, Molly (9-4) Aholelei, Primrose (10-9) ESPN+ 19–13 6–4 Mar. 31 at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Chapman Field • Corpus Christi, TX 6–1 Yoo, Molly (10-4) Hoyt, Sydney (2-3) ESPN+ 237 20–13 7–4
April (7–9) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC record Apr. 1 at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Chapman Field • Corpus Christi, TX 4–9 Aholelei, Primrose (11-9) McNeill, Audrey (7-6) ESPN+ 249 20–14 7–5 Apr. 4 at Southern Miss Southern Miss Softball Complex • Hattiesburg, MS 1–8 Morgan Leinstock (9-10) Yoo, Molly (10-5) 590 20–15 Apr. 6 Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 5–4 (8 inn) McNeill, Audrey (8-6) Niedenthal, C (2-6) ESPN+ 87 21–15 8–5 Apr. 6 Lamar Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 0–10 (5 inn) Ruiz, A (5-9) Yoo, Molly (10-6) ESPN+ 21–16 8–6 Apr. 7 Lamar Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 1–0 McNeill, Audrey (9-6) Ruiz, Aaliyah (5-10) ESPN+ 66 22–16 9–6 Apr. 11 at South Alabama 2–3 Lackie, Olivia (14-6) McNeill, Audrey (9-7) ESPN+ 331 22–17 Apr. 14 Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 0–6 Vallejo, Ashley (11-7) McNeill, Audrey (9-8) ESPN+ 22–18 9–7 Apr. 15 at McNeese Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 0–8 (6 inn) Tate, Whitney (13-3) Yoo, Molly (10-7) ESPN+ 807 22–19 9–8 Apr. 15 at McNeese Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 4–5 Vallejo, Ashley (12-7) Yoo, Molly (10-8) ESPN+ 787 22–20 9–9 Apr. 21 8–2 McNeill, Audrey (10-8) Blanchard, Cera (14-6) VandenBout, Molly (1) ESPN+ 219 23–20 10–9 Apr. 21 at Southeastern North Oak Park • Hammond, LA 4–5 Ladner, KK (12-1) Yoo, Molly (10-9) ESPN+ 276 23–21 10–10 Apr. 22 at Southeastern North Oak Park • Hammond, LA 4–8 Ladner, KK (13-1) Yoo, Molly (10-10) ESPN+ 302 23–22 10–11 Apr. 26 Southern Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 6–3 Yoo, Molly (11-10) Chakirrious Parker (2-2) ESPN+ 203 24–22 Apr. 28 Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 6–0 McNeill, Audrey (11-8) Janes, Katy (6-11) ESPN+ 231 25–22 11–11 Apr. 28 Houston Christian Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 3–2 (8 inn) Yoo, Molly (12-10) Swanson, Lyndie (9-7) ESPN+ 231 26–22 12–11 Apr. 29 Houston Christian Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 2–1 (8 inn) McNeill, Audrey (12-8) Swanson, Lyndie (9-8) ESPN+ 201 27–22 13–11
Post-Season (2–2)
(2–2) Date Opponent (Seed)/Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record Tournament record May 9 vs. (6) Northwestern State (3) Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 2–8 (8 inn) Seely, Kenzie (7-7) Yoo, Molly (12-11) ESPN+ 457 27–23 0–1 May 10 vs. (7) Houston Christian (3) Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 2–1 McNeill, Audrey(13-8) Grofman, Ronni(5-6) ESPN+ 28–23 1–1 May 11 vs. (5) Texas A&M–Corpus Christi (3) Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 1–0 Yoo, Molly (13-11) Aholelei, Primrose (18-14) ESPN+ 29–23 2–1 May 12 vs. (4) Lamar (3) Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 4–5 Ruiz, A (15-12) Yoo, Molly (13-12) ESPN+ 29–24 2–2

Schedule Source:^[2] *Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the NFCA/USA Softball poll.

Notes and References

1. Web site: McNeese predicted to win 2023 softball race; Preseason poll and all-conference teams announced . Southland Conference . January 26, 2023 . January 26, 2023.
2. Web site: 2023 Softball Schedule . Nicholls State University . December 30, 2022 . en.