NATCHITOCHES – Two of the biggest reasons for the Northwestern State baseball team leading the Southland Conference in team earned run average were honored by the league Wednesday.
 
Both junior right-hander Dylan Marionneaux and freshman let-hander Brody Trosclair were named first-team All-Southland Conference by league coaches and sports information directors with the two teams announced Wednesday morning.
 
Trosclair also earned leaguewide Freshman of the Year honors, becoming the first Demon to earn that honor since Adam Oller in 2014.
 
Joining Marionneaux and Trosclair as Northwestern honorees are a pair of second-team selections – senior first baseman Thomas Marsala III and outfielder Brooks Leonard.
 
Marionneaux, a Zachary native, was a three-time Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week honoree who posted a 4-2 record and a 3.13 ERA. He led the league in innings pitched in all games (80 2-3) and in conference games (69.0). In league play, Marionneaux ranked first in ERA among exclusive starters (3.13) and was third in strikeouts (64). Marionneaux closed his season by allowing two earned runs in his final 38 2-3 innings.
 
Marionneaux threw two complete games in conference play and pitched at least 8 1-3 innings in four of his 10 Southland starts, including nine shutout innings against McNeese in his final regular-season start May 7. Marionneaux also earned All-Defensive honors as the pitcher on the 10-man team after handling 11 chances this season without committing an error.
 
Trosclair, a Thibodaux native, made 10 appearances (four starts) before suffering a season-ending elbow injury following his April 2 start at UTRGV.
 
In his first 38 1-3 collegiate innings, Trosclair posted 55 strikeouts while issuing only 11 walks. Trosclair's five wins led Northwestern while his 1.89 ERA was 30^th nationally. His 55 strikeouts left him two shy of finishing in the top 10 in the league despite not pitching in the final five weeks of the season.
 
Trosclair struck out a career-best 12 in a six-inning performance against New Orleans on March 20 and finished his season with wins against UT Arlington, UIW, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Nicholls and UTRGV.
 
Marsala, a senior Western Kentucky transfer from Monroe, led Northwestern in home runs (11) and RBIs (41) and finished in the top 10 in Southland action in hits (40, T-4^th), RBIs (30, T-4^th) and home runs (7, T-6^th).  Marsala led Northwestern with 62 hits and ranked second on the team with a .313 batting average.
 
He proved his mettle in clutch situations, delivering the decisive action in three of Northwestern's last at-bat wins – at Central Arkansas on Feb. 21, vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on March 15 and at UTRGV on April 4.
 
Leonard ignited the Demon offense by moving into the leadoff spot at Louisiana Tech on Feb. 24 and staying there for the final 40 games of the regular season.
 
A versatile junior from Pierre Part, Leonard saw time at both corner outfield position as well as at second and third base while recording 61 hits and leading Northwestern with a .319 batting average. Leonard was hit by 15 pitches, tying him for the conference lead.
 
In conference games, Leonard led the conference in stolen bases (16) and triples (3) while also ranking third in hits (43), hit by pitches (9, T-3^rd) and 10^th in runs (26).
 
Sixth-seeded Northwestern opens Southland Conference Tournament play at 1 p.m. Thursday when it faces No. 3 seed UTRGV.
 
2026 All-Southland Conference Baseball Teams
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Armani Raygoza, UTRGV
HITTER OF THE YEAR: Peyton Woods, Southeastern
PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Chris Olivier, Lamar
RELIEF PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Eric Nachtsheim, McNeese
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Travis Lutz, Lamar
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Brody Trosclair, Northwestern State
COACH OF THE YEAR: Bobby Barbier, Southeastern
 
First Team All-Conference
C            Jhett Creel, SFA
1B          Armani Raygoza, UTRGV
2B          Cade Sanchez, A&M-Corpus Christi
SS          A.J. Taylor, Lamar
3B          Alex Perry, Southeastern
OF          Danny Barbero, McNeese
OF          Rocco Garza Gongora, UTRGV
OF          Peyton Woods, Southeastern
UT          Julian Swift, SFA
DH         Julius Ramirez, UTRGV
SP          Chris Olivier, Lamar
SP          Dylan Marionneaux, Northwestern State
SP          Brody Trosclair, Northwestern State
RP          Eric Nachtsheim, McNeese
 
Second Team All-Conference
C            Logan Terry, Nicholls
1B          Thomas Marsala III, Northwestern State
2B          Ben Robichaux, Southeastern
SS          Cole Tabor, UIW
3B          Easton Moomau, UTRGV
OF          Preston Newberry, UIW
OF          Tab Tracy, Lamar
OF          Brooks Leonard, Northwestern State
UT          Tony DeJesus, UIW
DH         Nico Rijo-Berger, Nicholls
SP          Travis Lutz, Lamar
SP          Nik Toups, Southeastern
SP          Blake Lobell, Southeastern
RP          Kike Cienfuegos, UTRGV
 
All-Defensive Team
C            Connor Walker, McNeese
1B          Brody Capps, Southeastern
2B          Cade Sanchez, A&M-Corpus Christi
SS          A.J. Taylor, Lamar
3B          Alex Perry, Southeastern
LF           Isaiah Keller, McNeese
CF          Rocco Garza Gongora, UTRGV
RF          Hank Warren, UTRGV
P             Dylan Marionneaux, Northwestern State