Heavy rain forced the cancellation of Day 2 at the Southland Conference tournament in Lake Charles, Louisiana, delaying a critical matchup between McNeese State Cowgirls and Nicholls Colonels. Both teams, winners in the tournament opener, now square off on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Joe Miller Field after Day 2 was completely washed out.
This postponement disrupts momentum just as the teams prepare for a decisive semifinal clash in the double-elimination bracket. McNeese opened the postseason with a narrow 5-4 victory over Stephen F. Austin, while Nicholls edged Northwestern State, 7-4.
McNeese head coach James Landreneau said the weather delay offers no clear advantage. “There isn’t much we could do today,” he said. “We will just use the day to rest, recover, and get ready for Saturday. We are excited to play.”
Rain disrupted a highly anticipated game day, but all four competing teams each received one hour of batting practice in McNeese’s indoor facility, allowing players to keep sharp despite the lost game time. “Maybe it helps us being at home a little instead of sitting around a hotel all day,” Landreneau noted, “but I think everybody will be ready to go tomorrow.”
The matchup carries extra weight for McNeese. The Cowgirls lost all three regular season games earlier this year at Nicholls, suffering a 1-5 mark in league play before rebounding to win 11 of their last 12 conference games. This late surge pushed McNeese to secure the second seed, edging out Nicholls for the right to host one of the Southland’s tournament brackets.
“That was just meant to be,” said Landreneau. “Now we have to make all that work pay off.” The Cowgirls hope to leverage their home advantage and passionate fan support. Senior Maddie Weeks emphasized the impact crowd energy provides: “We love to play at home in front of our fans. They give us energy.”
Despite previous losses to Nicholls, Landreneau remains confident. “That was a long time ago, and it wasn’t that we played badly; they played well,” he said. “Their pitchers kept us off balance, and they got the big hits. I think we are ready. I like where we are at and how we are playing now.”
The day off also benefits Nyjah Fontenot, returning from a knee injury. Fontenot participated as the designated player in Thursday’s opening win. “We are easing her back into it,” Landreneau explained.
The Southland’s other critical elimination game is scheduled for Saturday at 11 a.m. when Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks with a 29-25 record face Northwestern State, who stand at 24-28. Both teams enter the contest with 1-1 records in the tournament.
The Southland Conference tournament title game is set for 11 a.m. Sunday with a second game on standby if a rematch is needed to determine the champion.
Fans across the south-central U.S. and beyond should watch closely as the rescheduled McNeese-Nicholls showdown now carries amplified tension following the weather delay. The Cowgirls’ home field stands as a crucial factor in their bid to overcome earlier season setbacks and assert dominance in this postseason battle.
Stay tuned for live updates from Lake Charles as McNeese and Nicholls look to settle the score on Saturday afternoon.
