Field construction continues to affect baseball

Due to continued construction at Ray E. Didier Field, The Nicholls State University baseball team’s annual Alumni Game that was scheduled for Feb. 11 was cancelled.

According to Assistant Coach Walt Jones, the renovations at Ray E. Didier Filed will benefit the university and Nicholls baseball players for years to come.

“Any time you get new things, it’s exciting. It’s exciting for our guys to get to play in a neat park, and it’s exciting for recruits to get to come in and see the things we have to offer,” Jones said. “Nicholls is a great place to come play baseball. It’s a great place to go to school, and the more we continue to improve things, the better we’re going to be as a program and as a university.”

On the cancellation of the Alumni Scrimmage, sophomore Ethan Valdez said it will all work out as long as the team continues to play together and remain focused for their season opener in Houston this weekend.

“It’s fun to play your alumni, but we’re still out here getting better every day so it’s all going to work out,” Valdez said.

According to senior Ross McWhorter, the team has not been distracted by the construction and has continued to play amidst the work that is being done without losing focus.

“Right now there’s a lot going on, but we’re just focused on practice and intersquad games,” McWhorter said. “There are a lot of good changes coming and as long as they get the big stuff done it shouldn’t be an issue. It shouldn’t be a factor either once the season starts because we are pretty focused.”

Although the annual Alumni Scrimmage was cancelled, Jones looked at the positive side and noted that Nicholls baseball is set apart from other teams not only by improved facilities, but by the character of the men that make up the team.

“We really won’t be able to reschedule the Alumni Scrimmage, but I want to invite all those guys to come out and see this team play and to come spend some time around this team,” Jones said. “This is a special group of kids that work really hard and really stand for the things that Nicholls baseball stands for.”