THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University baseball team will host Central Arkansas in a three-game Southland Conference series, beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday at Ray E. Didier Field.
The victor will take a major step towards securing a spot at the Southland Conference Tournament, while the loser will have an uphill climb over the back half of the schedule.
Friday's contest will be "90s Night at The Did" and will feature some of the top musical hits of the 1990s. Fans are encouraged to dress in 90s style and be ready to belt out some of their favorite throwback tunes. First pitch for game two is set for 6 p.m. on Saturday, with the finale scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The Colonels (14-20, 5-10 SLC) earned wins on Friday and Sunday to take a 2-1 series win over Incarnate Word in Military City.
The Bears (14-17, 5-7 SLC) snapped a three-game skid on Wednesday with a 6-1 victory over Little Rock. After opening conference play with a 5-3 record, Central Arkansas has lost four consecutive league games.
The Bears hold a 17-11 edge in the all-time series against Nicholls. Last season the Colonels earned a 2-1 series win over Central Arkansas in Conway, but the Bears answered with a 7-6 victory over Nicholls on May 20 at the conference tournament.
The "Masked Marauder"
Kyle Reese spearheads the Colonel offense with a .403 average, 22 RBIs and 12 runs.
Gavin Wehby leads the team with 39 hits, while
Ethan Valdez boasts team-highs in runs (27) and stolen bases (12).
Kyle Knauth has been on an offensive tear over the squad's last few games and on Monday he was named Southland Conference Hitter of the Week. Knauth raised his batting average from .266 to .353 after hitting .619 in Nicholls' five games. He had at least two hits in each contest, recording a total of 13, which included three doubles as he finished with a .762 slugging percentage. Knauth also scored seven runs, drove in six, drew two walks and had a sacrifice fly. For the weekend at Incarnate Word, Knauth was 9-of-13 with four RBIs. Not only did he help lead the Colonels to a series win over the Cardinals, but he also extended two individual streaks as he has reached base in 18 consecutive games and is riding a six-game hitting streak.
Logan Preston leads the Central Arkansas offense with a .317 average, 31 hits, 21 RBIs and 16 runs scored. Tyler Langley has team-highs in runs (23), stolen bases (11) and home runs (three).
PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
Nicholls
Friday: RHP Justin Sinibaldi (3-3, 2.64 ERA, 49 SO, 58.0 IP)
Saturday: RHP Cole Stapler (2-5, 4.41 ERA, 29 SO, 49.0 IP)
Sunday: LHP Alex Ernestine (2-1, 9.18 ERA, 10 SO, 16.2 IP)
Central Arkansas
Friday: RHP Connor Gilmore (2-5, 3.83 ERA, 42 SO, 51.2 IP)
Saturday: RHP Cody Davenport (2-2, 3.62 ERA, 37 SO, 49.2 IP)
Sunday: RHP Riley Echols (1-1, 4.39 ERA, 14 SO, 26.2 IP)
Following this weekend's action, the Colonels will face a road challenge against Louisiana-Lafayette at 6 p.m. on April 19. Nicholls will then fly to Lincoln for a three-game series against Nebraska, beginning at 6:35 p.m. on April 22.
For the most up-to-date information on Nicholls baseball, visit geauxcolonels.com.
