THIBODAUX - The Nicholls State University baseball team (18-19, 7-11 Southland Conference) will look to gain ground in a crowded Southland Conference race when the Colonels welcome Sam Houston State (26-13, 11-7 Southland Conference) to Ray E. Didier Field for a three-game series beginning with a 6 p.m. first pitch against the Bearkats on Thursday.

The Colonels, in search of their first back-to-back trips to the Southland Conference Tournament, enter Thursday's series opener 1.0 game back of a three-game tie for the eighth and final conference tournament spot.  However, Nicholls remains in the thick of one of the closest conference races in the country as the weekend begins with the fourth through 11th place teams separated by just 3.0 games.

A strong showing against the Bearkats, who enter Thursday's series opener in third place in the conference could help the Colonels put themselves back in the conference tournament picture.  Should the Colonels qualify for the league's postseason event in San Marcos, Texas, it will mark the first time in school history that Nicholls has qualified for consecutive conference tournament trips.

The Colonels bring a resurgent lineup into Thursday's series opener.  In their last nine games, the Colonels have  hit .293 as a team while averaging 6.6 runs/game while recording a 6-3 record over that stretch.  Nicholls has been led by junior infielder Blake Bergeron, who has driven in 12 runs while recording five extra base hits and recording a .605 slugging percentage.

The Colonel pitching staff will look to get back on track after the Colonels dropped two-of-three games to Central Arkansas last weekend.  Junior right handed starter Seth Webster will get the nod for Thursday night's opener, and heads into the series with the Bearkats ranked ninth in the Southland Conference with a 2.84 ERA.  Webster has allowed three runs or less in eight of his nine starts and will look to rebound from a seven-run 5.0 IP outing against Central Arkansas in his last showing that increased his ERA by 0.94.

Meanwhile, the Bearkats will be looking to get back on track themselves.  Sam Houston State lost to Texas Southern 8-6 their last time out, snapping a six-game winning streak.  The Bearkats will be looking to regain the form that saw them win nine of 11 games before falling to TSU. 

After opening the conference season with a 1-5 record, the Bearkats have won each of their last four conference series.  Sam Houston State is fresh off a three-game sweep of Lamar in their last series and boasts a three-game sweep of Texas-San Antonio and two-of-three series victories over McNeese State and Northwestern State in that stretch.

First pitch for Thursday night's series opener between the Colonels and Bearkats is set for 6 p.m. at Ray E. Didier Field.  Game two is slated for a 6 p.m. start on Friday with Saturday's series finale scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch.  Live stats and live streaming audio webcasts of the games will be made available at www.geauxcolonels.com and at www.ThibodauxOnline.com.