THIBODAUX, La. - The Nicholls State University baseball team welcomes the University of Missouri Tigers for a four-game series to start the 2022 season, with Friday night's opener at Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field set for 6 p.m.
Saturday's game is also scheduled for 6 p.m., while Sunday's and Monday's contests will start at 1 p.m. Tickets for the games can be purchased
here.
While the return of baseball on the bayou is always an exciting time of year, the buzz has been ramped up this season with the debut of first-year head coach
Mike Silva. The Massachusetts native came to Thibodaux after three successful years as associate head coach at Louisiana Tech.
Nicholls is coming off a 21-34 overall season and a 16-24 record in the Southland. Despite having 21 victories, the team finished 15-15 at home which included a season-opening win over Eastern Illinois and an extra-inning victory in the season finale against Sam Houston.
Coach Silva will look to improve the team's struggles at the plate from the 2021 campaign where the Colonels ranked near the bottom of the NCAA with a .219 batting average. Only four Colonels produced a .250 or better batting average a year ago, and three of the hitters return for 2022. A Preseason All-Southland Second Team selection,
Austin Cain posted a team-best .283 average, belting 49 hits with two home runs and 18 RBIs. Outfielder
Dane Simon was a mainstay in the lineup, hitting .261 with a team-high 10 doubles.
Wes Toups also had a solid year in his debut with the Colonels, batting .261 while tying for the team lead with four homers.
Nicholls was around the middle of the pack in the NCAA last season in pitching, posting a 4.92 ERA.
Nico Saltaformaggio is set to make the start Friday night for the Red and Gray after going 2-0 last season with a 4.66 ERA in 29 innings out of the bullpen.
Tyler Theriot, who had a 5.77 ERA and a 3-3 record in 2021, is slated to pitch on Saturday night.
Mizzou competes in the always tough SEC where it finished with a 15-36 overall record and went 8-22 in conference. The Tigers welcome 19 newcomers to the roster.
Last season, the Tigers hit .246 as a team and had a 7.24 ERA on the mound. Torin Montgomery is the offense's top threat, hitting .278 with 30 RBIs in 2021. On the hill, Spencer Miles will start Friday night for the visitors. He went 2-6 a season ago with a 7.01 ERA.
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