Latest news with #Landreneau
American Press
15-05-2025
- Sport
- American Press
Landreneau staying put
James Landreneau looking forward to next season. (McNeese Athletics) James Landreneau will be back next season as the head coach of the McNeese State softball team. McNeese Athletic Director Heath Schroyer said Landreneau's contract was rolled over for the fourth year, as officially agreed upon on Wednesday. Landreneau signed a three-year deal after the 2022 season, which included a fourth-year rollover. The news comes as no surprise to anyone familiar with the program. 'Everything is going as planned,' said Landreneau. 'This is what we had expected.' Schroyer and Landreau met on Wednesday as part of the annual season-ending review. 'We are just moving forward, that is the best way to get over the tough loss,' said Landreneau. 'We are disappointed in how it finished, but I'm proud of the way our team fought back this year.' McNeese was an extremely young team that ended strong after a 17-16 start. The Cowgirls rallied to finish 41-20, their fourth straight 40-plus win season. They also won their fourth straight Southland Conference regular-season title, becoming the first program in league history to do that. They were one out of winning a fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament in five seasons. McNeese lost a controversial 6-5 decision to rival Southeastern last Saturday night when the umpires reversed a late call after the Cowgirls had actually celebrated getting the final out. 'Coach Landreneau did an exceptional job, maybe his best year coaching yet,' Schroyer said. 'We're excited to have him back next year. 'We had a very young roster this year, and the team came together and grew as the season progressed. I'm looking forward to watching this team continue to grow next year.' In his nine seasons at McNeese, Landreneau has posted a 339-181 record, winning five tournament and five regular-season crowns. He was named the league's Coach of the Year for the fourth time earlier this month after becoming the winningest skipper in program history early in the season. Landreneau and his pitching staff will return at least seven starters next season. The only everyday player who will definitely not be back will be all-conference shortstop Reese Reyna, who is out of eligibility. 'We have a young team and we learned a lot this year,' said Landreneau. 'We have gone through great exit interviews this week and have gotten a lot of positive feedback on where we are headed. I'm excited about getting back at it in the fall.' On Thursday, the organization announced that junior third baseman Jada Muñoz was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's All-Region team . Muñoz was selected to the Gulf Region third team. Muñoz led McNeese with 15 home runs, 19 doubles, 56 RBI, 26 walks, 126 total bases, 52 runs scored, .720 slugging percent, and was third on the team with a .343 batting average. Ironically, despite finishing second in the league in homers and leading in RBIs, Muñoz was not named to the all-Southland team.
American Press
11-05-2025
- Sport
- American Press
Reversal of fortune
Southeastern celebrates comeback victory Saturday night. (Kirk Meche/Special to the American Press) The torch has officially been passed. Any thoughts that Southeastern's softball championship last season was a fluke are gone. The Lady Lions are the queens of the Southland Conference after their punch-to-the-gut comeback win Saturday night over McNeese. Southeastern slayed its biggest rival on its home turf, taking down the top-seeded Cowgirls 6-5 in the deciding game of the championship series at Joe Miller Ballpark. And they did it ironically in walk-off fashion by a former Cowgirl. Brilee Ford, a sophomore who played at McNeese last season before transferring to SELA, slapped a single to right with two out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh. Ford drove in Chloe Magee from third with the championship run. 'I feel for my players right now,' said McNeese head coach James Landreneau. 'This is a tough moment. There are a lot of people hurting in our locker room right now.' The second-seeded Lions (48-14) won the final two games to capture the best-of-3 series and advance to their second straight NCAA Tournament. It is SELA's second softball title in program history. The Lions rallied from a 4-0 deficit to score three in the sixth and three more in the seventh to foil McNeese's hopes of adding to its record nine titles. The Cowgirls (41-20) were looking to win their fourth championship in five years and sixth in the last eight. 'Sometimes the game seems unfair,' said Landreneau. 'This is a tough lesson. It is painful.' It was doubly tough that it appeared the Cowgirls had won the title. With two out in the bottom of the seventh and up 5-3, Shelby Morris lofted a soft fly ball to short center. Nyjah Fontenot raced in and dove but came up short. The runner on second scored, but Fontenot recovered and fired to second, getting Morris according to umpire Todd Sharpe, who was hustling over from first base. However, second-base umpire Brian Soule, covering the play in center, turned back to his base and signaled safe. The umpires went to review as McNeese celebrated what they believed was a title. The umps returned and overturned the call, but never really said which one was being overruled. In the end, the confusion found Morris still on second and one pitch later, Magee tied the game with a single to left, setting the stage for the Cowgirls' ultimate heartbreak.. Landreneau refused to focus on the umpires. 'Things just started to fall apart for us at the end,' said Landreneau. 'Four or five games we have been on the other side.' Each of McNeese's four postseason wins this year came by way of walk-offs. McNeese took the lead in the first with a run after two were out. Sam Mundine, who has two walk-off RBIs in the postseason, drove in Jada Munoz from second and sent SELA starter Celia Lumpkin to a very early shower. Munoz had started the two-out rally with a single and moved into scoring position thanks to a Reese Reyna walk. Lumpkin worked just two-thirds of an inning, as did her replacement, Allison Brunson. The Cowgirls made it 2-0 on a fielder's choice by Nyjah Fontenot, scoring Brylie Fontenot from third. That turned into a double play when Nyjah Fontenot tried to take an extra base to end the inning. The Cowgirls added two runs in the top of the sixth. Rylie Bouvier started with her fourth home run of the season, and second of the series. Bouvier's shot glanced off the glove of Shenita Tucker, the Lions' center fielder, who had perfectly timed her leap over the fence. However, she could not corral the softball. McNeese made it 4-0 moments later on Nygah Fontenot's second RBI on a fielder's choice. 'I never felt comfortable with the lead,' said Landreneau. 'If there is a pitch left, we know anything can happen.' The Lions cut into the lead in the sixth, scoring three runs on just two hits and two costly McNeese errors. Southland Pitcher of the Year Maddie Taylor took the loss. Delaney was 3-for-3 with a walk for McNeese, finishing a perfect championship series. Delaney didn't make an out in the three games, finishing 7-for-7 with two walks.
American Press
10-05-2025
- Sport
- American Press
Lions force deciding game
McNeese infielder Kassidy Chance charges a slow a roller Friday night. (Kirk Meche/Special to the American Press) There will be one more game before the Southland Conference champion is decided. Using one big hit and a stellar pitching performance from an unexpected source, Southeastern evened up the best-of-3 championship series Friday night at Joe Miller Park. There was no late magic, no big heroics, no final rally this time for McNeese. Behind junior right-hander Lainee Bailey, the Lady Lions took Game 2 2-0, forcing the deciding game Saturday. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. 'That was a tough game,' said McNeese head coach James Landreneau. 'They played better than us today. We will have to have a quick turnaround, but it's what we have prepared for.' Bailey, who entered the game with just 30⅔ innings in the circle, allowed just four hits while going the distance for Southeastern (47-14). She worked out of trouble several times, improving her record to 5-1. 'She did a really good job keeping us off balance,' said Landreneau. 'It was really hard for us to get into any rhythm.' Top-seeded McNeese (41-19) did have a couple of chances to score, but the Lions came up with big defensive plays. The biggest came in the fifth when Shelby Morris at second and Maria Detiller at third saved three or four runs. 'I thought their defense was really good,' said Landreneau. 'I also think that when we had some chances, we made soft contact. We need to make harder contact in the next game.' The Lions scored their runs right after that in the bottom of the fifth with two out. After getting the first batters easy, McNeese starter Maddie Taylor (18-8) gave up a single to Morris, who stole second immediately. Then Chloe Magee sent a sinking liner to left. Sam Mundine charged but appeared to get caught between making a late dive, taking the ball on a bounce, and throwing home. The ball skipped past Mundine and rolled to the wall, scoring both runs. 'She just got caught in between,' said Landreneau. 'A tough play.' Taylor, a freshman who was named the league's Pitcher of the Year, was solid, allowing seven hits but just the two runs.. 'I thought Williams pitched well,' said Landreneau. 'We just have to be ready tomorrow. I like our chances.' McNeese is looking for its record 10th SLC Tournament championship and fourth in five years. They have also won six of the last eight titles. Southeastern is looking to defend its title with a win Saturday, which would also be the second in program history. The Lions won the postgame coin flip and will be the home team for the deciding game.
American Press
09-05-2025
- Sport
- American Press
Cowgirls keep magic going
Rylie Bouvier reacts to hitting a sixth-inning homer Thursday night for McNeese. (Kirk Meche/Special to the American Press) The Miller magic continues. For the fifth straight time in the postseason, the Cowgirls have walked off an opponent at Joe Miller Ballpark. Samantha Mundine's sharp single to right past a drawn-in infield scored Nyjah Fontenot from third with the winning run as McNeese topped Southeastern 3-2 Thursday night in the Southland Conference championship series opening game. It was the fourth time in the last week that the Cowgirls (41-18) have pulled off their magic in the last week. 'We are starting to get better at being in tough situations,' said Mundine. 'We have been in them all year.' The win moves McNeese one game away from capturing the best-of-3 series and advancing to its fourth NCAA Tournament in the last five years. McNeese has won six of the last eight Southland tourney titles and is 25-4 under head coach James Landreneau in SLC postseason play. 'This was a good softball game,' said Landreneau. 'It was two very good teams going at it. We must flush this quickly and come back ready to play tomorrow.' Game 2 of the series is set for 6 p.m. Friday, and a third game can be played if needed on Saturday night. McNeese has won eight straight at home against the second-seeded Lady Lions (46-14) and nine of the last 10 overall. The Cowgirls have also won 18 of their last 19. Once again, though, this one wasn't easy. After missing a chance to take the lead in both the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings, Nyjah Fontenot opened the seventh with an infield single and raced to second on SELA shortstop Chole Magee's throwing error. She then moved to third on Jada Munoz's bunt, setting the stage for Mundine. 'I wasn't trying to get a hit there,' said Mundine. 'I was trying to score the run.' She did that easily with a clean single past Lion second baseman Shelby Morris. Mundine became the fifth different Cowgirl to drive in a winning run during the walk-off streak. 'It's been somebody different every time,' said Landreneau. 'We are not afraid to pass the bat back to the next person.' Mundine's hit came off reliever Britney Lewinski, who took the loss and fell to 8-5. McNeese freshman Maddie Taylor went the distance for the win, improving her record to 18-7. The SLC Pitcher of the Year allowed just three hits and two runs despite striking out just one Lion. 'Maddie Taylor was excellent for a freshman,' said Landreneau. 'She will tell you this was not her best, but she had the guts to stay in the game.' The two teams exchanged solo home runs in the sixth with Maddie Watson hitting her third of the season for SELA to give the Lions a 2-1 lead. McNeese responded with Rylie Bouvier's leadoff homer at the frame's bottom. It was also her third homer. 'That was a clean swing,' Landreneau said. 'It was a big answer.' McNeese scored first on freshman Sarah Allen's run-scoring double down the line in left. Allen's one-out shot scored Resse Reyna from second for the 1-0 lead. Reyna started the inning with a single and then moved to second on an error by SELA catcher Cyndee Schneider. For Reyna, it was her sixth hit in this postseason. The shortstop is 6-for-12 the last four games. The Lions tied it up in the fourth on a fielder's choice that scored pinch-runner Breanna Fonetnot from third. The redshirt freshman from Moss Bluff was running for Watson, who had led off the inning with a double. Mundine said the Cowgirls will be ready for Game 2. 'We will take one pitch at a time, one game at a time,' Mundine said. And no doubt, the Cardiac Cowgirls will wait for the last moment again to come up with the big hit.
American Press
08-05-2025
- Sport
- American Press
Jim Gazzolo column: Managing with a deft hand
James Landreneau has won his share of battles to reach 300 victories. (Kirk Meche/Special to the American Press) When last season ended, James Landreneau said he wasn't sure what to expect. Shocked with a pair of losses in the Southland Conference softball tournament, Landreneau's Cowgirls didn't even make it to the title game. McNeese State's run of NCAA Tournament appearances was over at three. More than that, Landreneau's club was losing much of the talent that had taken it to within an out of a super regional the year before. A surprise decision not to play by the team's leading home run hitter in the fall proved another speed bump. Another setback was an injury to last season's Freshman of the Year, Moss Bluff's Alexis Dibbley. For the first time since the turn of the century, McNeese softball had more questions than answers as midseason approached. 'I wasn't sure how good we would be,' Landreneau said. 'I know we had talent, but I also knew we were young. You never know how young players react under pressure.' Landreneau found out the hard way as McNeese struggled early. Twenty-seven games into the season, the Cowgirls stood at 14-13. 'I knew I was going to have to be patient with this group, and that isn't easy for me,' he admitted. McNeese lost is first SLC series as Lamar took two of three. 'We weren't playing good softball for a long time,' Landreneau said. 'We had to mature as a team.' His patience paid off when games mattered most. After a run-rule loss to open a crucial series at Southeastern Louisiana, McNeese found itself three games out of first place behind the Lions. While Landreneau might have been ready to trash the locker room in rage, he instead saw his players take over and convene a meeting in the outfield after the loss. What followed was a completely different club. McNeese won the second game that day and took the series 24 hours later, reducing the SELA lead back to one game. Since then, the Cowgirls have won 17 of 18, losing only to nationally LSU in Baton Rouge. 'We just came together and said this is not how we want to go out,' senior shortstop Reese Reyna said. 'It was time for the players to speak up. Nothing coach could have said would have been different. He got us here; it was up to us to finish.' Led by two freshmen pitchers and six new players on the field, the Cowgirls did what they had done for the previous three years: win the SLC regular-season championship. They also won three consecutive games in the postseason by way of walk-off to advance to the title series against the very same Southeastern team. The one difference is that this series will be played at home. The three walk-offs have come in three quite different ways. First, an actual walk forced in the winning run. Then, a single up the middle and finally, a two-run homer. However, it's how Landreneau, who won his fourth league Coach of the Year award, maneuvered this group through a most impressive and really tough start. In doing so, he got his team to 40 wins for a fourth consecutive year, something nobody would have seen coming six weeks ago. 'What I'm most proud of is how these players took control of the team,' Landreneau said. 'It's always better when the players take the leadership role and that's what this team has done.' And while the season may be far from over, it's likely Landreneau's personal best with the Cowgirls. 'I don't know about that, but I do like who we have grown and become a team,' he said. 'You have to credit the players and what they have done.' And they don't believe they are finished. a Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers McNeese State athletics for the American Press. Email him at jimgazzolo@
