The Nicholls State softball team was picked to finish seventh in the Southland Conference by conference sports information directors and eighth by the coaches in the Preseason Polls for the 2010 season.The Colonels finished their 2009 campaign with a record of 30-25 and 14-16 in SLC action.

“We’re returning six starters from last year,” head coach Jenny Parsons said. “We have pitchers from last year back along with our first baseman, but she’s not going to be playing first base. We have a redshirt from last year that will play first this year. Our third baseman is back, and two out of three outfielders are back as well.”

Nicholls heads into the 2010 season with one All-SLC Preseason selection, Lacey Gros. The senior pitcher was selected for the second team.

Gros finished second in the 2009 conference with 259 strikeouts and a 1.69 ERA. The Schriever native was 16-16 in the circle for the Colonels.

Gros will embrace the leadership role and will look to keep her composure for her last season with the Colonels.

“I want to stay positive this year and do the best I can. I’m going to play every game like it’s my last,” Gros said.

The Colonels have added more depth to their pitching arsenal, with the additions of junior college transfer Carlee Winkelmann and freshman standout Ashton Bennent.

“I think the strength of our team comes from the mound. Lacey Gros and Audrey Wood are two of the better pitchers in the conference from last year,” Parsons said. “We added a freshman from Doyle High School, Ashton Bennent, and a junior college transfer in Carlee Winkelmann that pitched in the college world series for Blinn Junior College.”

Gros believes the Colonels can do well this season with a joint effort.

“I think that if we work well together and play together we can be unstoppable. We just have to know our roles and come together as a team,” Gros said.

The softball team competed in their first tournament of the season this weekend and won three out of four. The Colonels beat South Alabama 8-6 in their first game of the Conference USA Invitational Tournament.

Sophomore third baseman Kayla Watterson, sophomore outfielder Laine Strickland and Wood each accounted for homeruns in the win. The Colonels beat Belmont 9-5 in their second game of the tournament, but they lost their third game to UAB 3-1.

Wood recorded her second homerun of the tournament in the loss against UAB. The Colonels closed out the tournament with a 9-1 win against Alcorn State. True freshman Lauren Baitz hit her first homerun of her collegiate career in the win against Alcorn.

Tomorrow night the Colonels will look to win the Samford Bulldog Bash Tournament when they take on Troy in Birmingham, Ala.