Nicholls State charged to the Southland Conference baseball championship this season, highlighting a strong season that saw the Colonels go 34-24 overall.
Hahnville High alumnus Hunter LeBlanc helped Nicholls to that prize. LeBlanc started 15 games as a senior and played in 33 total this season, scoring 12 runs to go with nine RBIs and two home runs. Those who remember him as a dangerous player on the bases from his days at Hahnville saw those skills translate to the college level once again as he was successful in stealing six times in seven attempts. Defensively he maintained a perfect fielding percentage in the outfield.
One of his best offensive games of the season came in a 9-8 win against Memphis on March 3. LeBlanc went 3-for-4 at the plate including a double, with a run scored and an RBI.
But his best sustained play came later that month when the Colonels played a three-game series against in-state foe McNeese. LeBlanc went 8-for-14 in the series with three runs scored, a home run and five RBIs. That performance helped Nicholls win the series, taking two of three.
LeBlanc made 16 starts as a junior for Nicholls, scoring 12 runs and driving in 14 RBIs. He delivered a pinch-hit bases clearing double in the ninth inning in the team’s opening win at Southeastern.
Nicholls reached the NCAA’s regional tournament after winning the Southland Conference with victories in four games. Nicholls defeated McNeese and Lamar before besting UNO in back-to-back games, 5-3 and 6-3 respectively, to win the conference tournament.
Prior to arriving at Nicholls, LeBlanc played two seasons with Southern Miss and one at Jones College.
At Southern Miss, he saw action in 12 games as a sophomore, batting .200 with five hits, one double and two runs scored. He started 28 of 43 games played as a freshman and posted a .239 average with 27 hits, six doubles, a triple and a home run, driving in 16 runs and scoring 18. He homered in finale of the team’s series against Mississippi State series.
As a standout at Hahnville, LeBlanc started three seasons and was named to the All-District team in all three. He was also a standout football player, a three-year starter in the Tigers’ secondary.
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