THIBODAUX, La. – Putting behind them a 9-6 loss to Jackson State on Tuesday, the Colonels baseball team heads into the second-to-last conference series weekend hosting the Northwestern State Demons in Thibodaux with a lot at stake. Sitting a game-and-a-half back from the eighth spot to make the tournament, the Colonels are still in the hunt but will need to win the series over the Demons to stay alive in the tournament race. The Colonels are 6-8 at home in conference and looking for their first series win since March, while the Demons have lost nine of their last 12 in conference. This will be the last three games at home for the Colonels this year, as Friday will serve as the team's annual “Pink Game” while Sunday will be senior day.
 
The Opening Pitch
The Colonels enter their game with Northwestern State at 23-24 on the year after losing to Jackson State 9-6 on Tuesday... Sitting at 10-16 in the Southland, the Colonels are now a game-and-a-half back out of the eighth spot with just six Southland games left in the season... Nicholls has the third-best hitting team in the league with a .277 average... Jeremy Hill and Philip Lyons are third and sixth in the Southland in batting average with .377 and .348 percentages, respectively, while Hill is ranked 57 in the nation in the category... Three Colonels have hitting streaks over five games, with Hill on a nine-game streak reaching base in 22-straight, Matt Richard on a career-long seven-game streak and Michael LeGrange on a career-tying six-game streak... Lyons is fourth in the conference in hits with 64 heading into the weekend.
 
Following the action
 Radio - None
 Internet - ThibodauxOnline.com
 Live Stats - GeauxColonels.com
 
Nicholls/Northwestern State Series Notes
The Colonels hold a 77-65 advantage in all-time meetings against the Demons... The Colonels swept Northwestern State in Natchitoches last year in only their second series win over the Demons in the last nine seasons... Up until 2011, the Demons had won six-straight series' over Nicholls, with sweeps from 2006-08... Nicholls is 5-4 in the last nine against Northwestern State.
 
More on the Demons
The Demons come into the game 17-28 overall after their midweek game against Louisiana Tech was cancelled due to a transformer explosion.. Northwestern State began the conference schedule 9-3 winning its first four conference series, but since that time has dropped its last five and is 3-12 overall... The Demons were picked to finish ninth by the coaches and 11th by SID's of the conference... Northwestern State is is 5-17 away from Natchitoches and 3-9 on the road in the league... Drew Helenihi leads the Demons at the plate with a .320 average while Friday starter Mason Melotakis leads the staff with a 3.88 ERA.
 
Up Next
The Colonels renew their rivalry against LSU next Tuesday in Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge.
 
Top of the Hill
Senior hitter Jeremy Hill has been a force at the plate since returning from a groin injury midway through the season. Before missing a handful of games, Hill was hitting .294 with 20 hits and only one home run. Since returning to the lineup full-time in late March, Hill has registered 38 hits and three long balls upping his hitting average to .377 which is third in the Southland. During that stretch he had the longest hitting streak of his career at 12 games, with 11 multi-hit outings and seven multi-RBI games. His average has vaulted him to 57^th in the nation in batting average, while his on-base percentage of .451 is in the top 130 players in the country. If he keeps at this pace, he'll be the eighth Nicholls hitter in the last ten years to have an average over .350 for a season.
 
Never a day off
Senior Blake Bergeron is creeping up an exclusive list of Colonels who have started 120 or more games in a career, as he and Keith Kulbeth are the only two so far with Beau Faulk earning a spot on that list by season's end. Bergeron has made 117 consecutive starts and has 159 in his career which is second best since 2003. With only one cancellation in the regular season, Bergeron will finish with 166 starts and 175 games played at Nicholls. Faulk has started 125 games at Nicholls, missing a start for the first time in 47 games against Central Arkansas. If the rest of the season plays out Faulk will have started 132 games and played in 157, both numbers would be third. Jeremy Hill, who had played in every game (76) since 2011 until an injury in the Sam Houston series earlier this season, could finish with more than 100 in just two seasons. Michael LeGrange is second on the team in consecutive starts with 78.
 
Called on Delatte
Senior pitcher Brad Delatte has appeared in at least 20 games for the third-straight year, with his 26 appearances this year being the most in his career. Delatte, far and away, has been the most used pitcher for the Colonels in recent history, appearing in over 80 games in his career, in over 115 innings of work. Delatte has finished 37 games in his career and can improve upon his marks with just under seven games left in the season.
 
The real McCoy
Jordan McCoy's seven saves this year has him 78th in the country in the category and third in the conference. He now has the most for any Colonel in a career (7) in the last ten years, much less in just one season. Included on that list is assistant coach/pitching coach Rudy Darrow who had six in 2006.
 
No free passes
The Colonels have been stingy in allowing runners on base this year with walks as a team, allowing less than three per game. Among the Colonels, Seth Webster has only allowed nine walks all year ranking him 11 in the country in walks per game. Webster is also 45th in the nation with a 5.11 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
 
Catch them if you can
Nicholls is currently tenth in the nation in steals and seventh in steals per game, stealing just under two bases a game, with 91 on the year. The Colonels have two players in Matt Richard Philip Lyons and Mike Barba, who are in the top 150 players in the country in steals, while Richard is 36th in stolen bags per game.
 
Road Warriors
With 11 wins away from Thibodaux already this season, the Colonels have bested last year's mark, which is the most for any team in recent history. This is the third time since 2003 that that Colonels have won at least seven or more road games, and is two away from tying the most games the Colonels have won on the road in the last 13 years in 2002.
 
Program on the Upswing
For the first time in nine years the Nicholls baseball team won 28 games in a season last year. The Colonels won 15 games in conference play for the second consecutive year and third time since joining the Southland Conference. Over the last two years, the Colonels have won more games (55) than in the four previous years combined (52).
 
Rookie (Coach) of the Year
In his first year at the helm of the Colonels baseball program, Seth Thibodeaux led the team to the Southland Conference Tournament Semifinals last year, and in the process won the second most games in an inaugural campaign as skipper. Only T.C. Calmes had a better opening year with 33 wins in 1974.
 
Webster, Hill Named Preseason First Team All-Conference
Seniors Seth Webster and Jeremy Hill were named preseason first team all-conference selections to open the new season, placing two Colonels on the list for the first time in years. Webster was a first-team All-Southland Conference pitcher from a year ago, being the first Colonel to earn first team honors since Bubba Bell in 2005. The redshirt senior from Delville, La. won Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week honors three times, finishing the season ranked third in the NCAA with seven complete game victories  He led the team with a 7-3 record and a 2.30 ERA (28 ER/109.1 IP) that was second in the Southland Conference. Hill, the Long Beach, Miss. product, finished his first year in a Colonel uniform starting all 57 games for Nicholls, hitting .302 (68-for-225) with one home run, ten doubles, 38 RBI and 30 runs scored. A second team All-Southland Conference selection as a DH last year to end the season, Hill logged 17 multi-hit games, including four three-hit games and one of only two four-hit games by a Colonel all year. Hill also made six relief appearances out of the Nicholls bullpen, allowing just three earned runs over 9.1 IP for a 2.89 ERA and did not allow an earned run in four of six outings.
 
Webster the Wizard
Senior pitcher Seth Webster had one of the strongest seasons a Nicholls pitcher has had in the last decade. Webster's 2.30 ERA is the lowest a Colonels pitcher has tossed since 1997, and one of the lowest in the last 18 years at Nicholls. His 109.1 innings pitched in 2011 is the most for a pitcher since 2003 and he is only the second pitcher to throw over 100 innings in a season in the last 16 years. The seven wins he earned are the most since 2003. He was named first team all conference, putting a Colonel on the first team list for the first time since 2005. In the tournament, he tied a conference record finishing the tournament with a 0.00 ERA among pitchers with ten or more innings pitched.
 
Battering Blake
Senior Blake Bergeron led the Colonels last year in RBI's (57), doubles (10), triples (5) and home runs (5). Those numbers placed Bergeron fourth in triples and 11^th in RBI's in the Southland. Bergeron was also first in the conference in being hit by pitches. Bergeron played all 57 games for the Colonels last year and finished the season with a .420 slugging percentage and .984 fielding percentage.
 
Talk of the Tourney
After needing a walk-off win in the last series of the year, the Colonels baseball team upset host Texas State in the opening game and made it all the way to the semifinals before falling to the Bobcats to end the season. It was the first time in school history that the Colonels made consecutive appearances in the Southland Conference tournament and will look to go for an unprecedented third time in a row in 2012.
 
Dominating Duo
Pat Shreve and Seth Webster made for an unwelcoming duo for opposing teams among Southland Pitchers. Webster and Shreve finished second and third in the league in ERA and first and fifth in runs allowed on the year. Shreve had the sixth best opposing batting average in the conference with a .249 average finishing the season with a 4-2 record with 11 appearances on the year. He was also third in fewest hits allowed, walks allowed, and doubles allowed.. Webster was also eighth in wins, while along with Shreve and Mike Wisecarver, tied for fewest home runs allowed with one each.
 
Webster Named College Sports Madness Southland Preseason Pitcher of the Year, Hill Named To First Team
Nicholls State University baseball player Seth Webster was named the Collegesportsmadness.com Southland Preseason Pitcher of the Year today, it was announced by the website. It's the first preseason honor for the righty from Deville, La., coming off a 2011 season where the senior was named first team all-conference, first team all-state and second team all-region. The awards didn't stop there, as both Webster and Jeremy Hill were named to the site's all-conference first team. Webster earned the nod as one of the three pitchers, while Hill was placed as one of the three outfielders.
 
Wisecarver, Delatte Named To Top Pitching List
Nicholls baseball pitchers Mike Wisecarver and Brad Delatte were named two of the top 35 pitchers of the Northwoods League this past summer by collegesummerbaseball.net. Wisecarver was named the second best pitcher in the league after going 6-0 with a 1.91 era in 56.2 innings of work for the Waterloo Bucks. Wisecarver allowed just 46 hits, had 19 walks and struck out 44. He was also rated as the 32nd best prospect in the league. Delatte was 2-1 with a 1.91 era in 28.1 innings over the summer. He went the distance in all three games, striking out 65 batters in the process for the Thunder Bay Border Cats.
 
Conference Preseason Polls Released
The conference released its preseason polls and the Colonels have been picked to finish 11th by the coaches with 39 points and tied for ninth with McNeese by the sports information directors with 39 points also.
 
Ray Gets Some Work Done
Thanks to the addition of over 1000 new seats, among other renovations, Colonel fans will be treated to an upgraded Ray E. Didier Field when Nicholls opens the 2012 home schedule against Southern University. The field now boasts an attendance figure in the 3000's, newly sodded infield, palm trees behind the outfield fence and entrance, as well as a deck down the right field line past the covered awning.
 
First Pitch Banquet Sells Out For First Time
The Nicholls sixth annual first pitch banquet sold out for the first time in history, as guests were treated to a rousing guest speaker in former basketball coach Dale Brown. The silent auction with signed memorabilia, events and other assorted items raised money for the team as fans were able to meet the 2012 team and staff before the start of the season.
 
Baseball Lands Ten during Early Signing Period
As the baseball season continues to draw near, the Nicholls State University baseball team has landed ten recruits during the early signing period Wednesday, including some state and local players. Justin Sinbaldi, Bo Ockman, Alex Tucker, Jake Valdez, Zach LeBouef, Seth Stevens, Cole Wilson, Jace Cheramie, Cliff Covington and Cody Tillotson round out the class that will become Colonels in the 2012-13 season.
“Coach Prothro has done an amazing job of putting this class together along with Coach Darrow.  We have answered our needs with this group and we will continue to recruit not only great baseball players but great students as well,” second-year head coach Seth Thibodeaux said. Having a solid recruiting base, the coaches were able to land quality local talent, as well as finding some gems along the community college route. “We have a great administration at Nicholls and great things are happening here,” Thibodeaux said. “With this, we can continue to recruit young men like these that will help us achieve our goals of being champions in the classroom and on the field.”
 
Name                   Ht   Wt   Pos       School  -  Hometown
Justin Sinibaldi  6-3 200 RHP/1B Rummel - HS Metarie, La.
Bo Ockman         6-2 180 RHP    Thibodaux HS - Thibodaux, La.
Alex Tucker        5-11 175 C    Catholic HS - Baton Rouge, La.
Jake Valadez      6-3 170 LHP  Stony Point HS - Round Rock, Texas
Zach LeBouef     6-2 190 1B/3B South Terrebonne HS - Montegut, La.
Seth Stevens     5-10 175 INF Central Private HS - Baton Rouge, La.
Cole Wilson        5-10 175 INF Parkview Baptist HS - Baton Rouge, La.
Jace Cheramie  6-3 200 LHP Central Lafourche HS - Raceland, La.
Cliff Covington   6-4 210 INF/OF Alabama Southern CC - Leroy, Ala.
Cody Tillotson    6-5 240 LHP/INF Cisco Junior College - Round Rock, Texas
 
Colonel Baseball Trio Named Summer League All-Stars
Three Nicholls State University baseball standouts enjoyed stellar summer ball seasons had reason to celebrate as junior outfielder Mike Barba and senior left handed pitchers Mike Wisecarver and Brad Delatte were named summer league all stars this week. Barba was named a reserve to the South Division squad for the Texas Collegiate League's Cricket Wireless All-Star game, while Wisecarver and Delatte have earned spots for the 2011 Northwoods League All-Star Game.