NATCHITOCHES – After helping the Southeastern Louisiana softball team to its first postseason victory since 2002, senior outfielder
Kelsey Nichols was named to the Southland Conference All-Tournament Team at the conclusion of the tournament on Saturday.
Nichols drove in runs in all three of Southeastern's games and finished the tournament with a .455 batting average. Her best game came in Southeastern's 3-1 victory over McNeese State, as she was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs batted in. She hit a homer in the tournament-opening 9-6 loss to Sam Houston State and drove in the Lady Lions' only run in a 5-1 season-ending loss.
Nichols, an honorable mention All-Southland Conference performer, was arguably the top hitter for a Southeastern team that set a single-season school record with 32 victories and returned to the Southland Conference Tournament for the first time since 2008. She was second on the team with a .352 batting average, while leading the team with 43 RBI, 14 doubles, 23 extra-base hits, a .597 slugging percentage and a school-record six sacrifice flies. She also had seven home runs, 56 hits and 28 runs scored.
Northwestern State senior pitcher Kylie Roos was named the Southland Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player after leading the Lady Demons to the Southland Conference championship.
2013 Southland Conference All-Tournament Team
1B – Kim Damian – Sam Houston State
2B – Alyssa Coggins – Sam Houston State
3B – Shelbi Tucker – Sam Houston State
SS – Tara McKenney – Northwestern State
C – Ashley Isbell – Sam Houston State
DP – Cassandra Barefield – Northwestern State
OF – Kelsey Nichols – Southeastern Louisiana
OF – Tori Benavidez – Sam Houston State
OF – Sam Forrest – Central Arkansas
P – Kelsie Armstrong – Central Arkansas
P – Shelby Lancaster – Sam Houston State
MVP – Kylie Roos – Northwestern State
2013 Southland Conference Tournament – Natchitoches, La. – Lady Demon Softball Complex
Thursday, May 9
Game 1 – No. 4 Central Arkansas 3, No. 5 Lamar 0
Game 2 – No. 3 Sam Houston State 9, No. 6 Southeastern Louisiana 6
Game 3 – Central Arkansas 1, No. 1 McNeese State 0 (9 Innings)
Game 4 – No. 2 Northwestern State 1, Sam Houston State 0#
Friday, May 10
Game 5 – Southeastern Louisiana 3, McNeese State 1 (McNeese eliminated)
Game 6 – Sam Houston State 8, Lamar 4 (Lamar eliminated)
Game 7 – Northwestern State 5, Central Arkansas 2
Game 8 – Sam Houston State 5, Southeastern Louisiana 1 (Southeastern eliminated)
Saturday, May 11
Game 9 – Sam Houston State 12, Central Arkansas 4 (Central Arkansas eliminated)
Game 10 – Sam Houston State 5, Northwestern State 0
Game 11 – Northwestern State 5, Sam Houston State 4 (Northwestern State wins tournament)
# - Game was halted by rain Thursday night and finished Friday morning
