THIBODAUX, La. – After patiently waiting for 275 days (but who's counting?), fans of the Dirty Red can finally witness Nicholls State University baseball's return to the diamond as the team opens its 2016 season with a four game home stand against Mississippi Valley State, set to begin at 2 p.m. on Friday at The Did.
 
The Colonels and Demons will face off in a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at noon, with the series finale set for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
 
Nicholls announced rotation:
Game 1 (Friday):         RHP Justin Sinibaldi
Game 2 (Saturday):    RHP Cole Stapler
Game 3 (Saturday):    RHP Jake Smith
Game 4 (Sunday):       LHP Alex Ernestine
 
MVSU has not announced its rotation.
 
The Colonels own a 3-1 advantage in the all-time series against the Demons. The programs last met in 2007.
 
Just two weeks ago, Nicholls was picked to finish fifth by both Southland Conference preseason polls. A week later, Sinibaldi and Kyle Reese were each tabbed for Preseason All-Southland First Team honors.
 
Sinibaldi was named Southland Conference Pitcher of the Year, earned First-Team All Southland honors, First-Team All Louisiana honors and a spot on the prestigious National College Baseball Hall of Fame Pitcher of the Year Watch List in 2015. He posted the top ERA in the conference, finishing 10th in the nation with a 1.40 ERA. Sinibaldi also finished eighth in the nation and first in the league with 10 wins. He tossed two complete games and two shutouts on the season, while holding opponents to a .245 batting average. Sinibaldi did not allow a triple or a home run all season and was a major part of the Colonels ranking first in the Southland and fifth in the nation in ERA as a team.
 
Reese was named Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year and First-Team All Southland in recognition of his outstanding play in his first season with Nicholls. The Daphne, Ala. native led the league in batting average (.377), slugging percentage (.527) and doubles (20). He finished the year in the top six in six different offensive categories, coming in second in total bases (109), and fifth in both hits (78) and triples (four). Reese was named Southland Conference Hitter of the Week and earned Louisiana Sports Writer's Association Hitter of the Week honors twice.
 
Last season Nicholls reached several milestones and garnered national recognition. The Colonels went on a nine-game tear that was the teams' longest winning-streak since 2005. Nicholls swept its season series against Louisiana-Lafayette for the first time since 1996 and downed the LSU Tigers at Alex Box Stadium. The Colonels also turned in back-to-back 30-win seasons for the first time since 1992-93. Nicholls' 34 wins in 2015 were the most since 1992, when the program totaled 36 victories. The Colonels had three players taken in the 2015 MLB Draft, including LHP Grant Borne (Washington Nationals), LHP Stuart Holmes (Toronto Blue Jays) and RHP Ryan Deemes (Houston Astros), while catcher Christian Correa was later signed by the Houston Astros.
 
Last year, Mississippi Valley State earned a 7-36-1 overall record, with a 4-20 mark in conference play. May Kalik led the Demon offense, but the senior used his final season of eligibility. Kalik posted a .335 average, 60 hits, 37 runs, 33 RBIs, 22 stolen bases, 11 doubles, five triples and four home runs in 2015. Despite the loss on offense, MVSU returns its top arm from the previous season, Arrington Smith. Smith registered a 3-5 record in nine appearances, posting a 7.35 ERA and holding batters to a .323 average.
 
The Demons are coached by Aaron Stevens, a four-year letterman of the Nicholls baseball program. Stevens led the Colonels with seven home runs during the 1985 season and had a team-high 14 doubles in 1988.
 
Following this weekend's action, Nicholls will travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala. for a battle with the University of Alabama at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24.