HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The Nicholls State University baseball squad looks to improve its Southland Conference record in a three-game series against Sam Houston State University beginning Friday at Don Sanders Stadium.

SERIES INFO

Don Sanders Stadium | Huntsville, Texas
Friday, April 7 – 6:30 p.m. – at SHSU | ESPN3 | Live Stats
Saturday, April 8 – 3 p.m. – at SHSU | ESPN3 | Live Stats
Sunday, April 9 – 1 p.m. – at SHSU | Live Stats

COLONEL STORYLINES

Despite being swept by McNeese, the Colonels (18-13) still hold a 5-4 mark in SLC play and currently stand fifth in the league rankings.

Nicholls most recently topped Mississippi Valley State 4-3 at the Did, coming back from a 3-2 deficit with two sacrifice flies and dominant relief pitching.

Junior outfielder Chet Niehaus recorded a team-high three hits and boasts a scorching .483 (17-35) batting average in the Colonels last 10 games.

Although it's a small sample size, junior infielder Gage Teer's .438 (7-16) league batting average ranks in the top-10 of the conference.

Junior starter Cayden Hatcher has been a staple in the Saturday slot for Nicholls. He has a 2-1 record in league play which includes two quality starts, a 2.65 ERA and an 11-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

THE OPPONENT

The Bearkats (15-8, 9-0 SLC) are receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches' and National College Baseball Writers Association polls. SHSU holds top-three SLC rankings in hitting, pitching and fielding. The Bearkats have scored 10-plus runs in five of their last six conference battles.

SHSU fell 8-1 in its lone midweek game at Texas Tuesday. The Bearkats are 15-8 at home this season.

THE SERIES

Since head coach Seth Thibodeaux took the helm in 2011, the Colonels have won five games against SHSU. Nicholls dropped all three games to the Bearkats last season in Thibodaux, but the margin of victory in each was four runs or less.