Nicholls baseball team is set to open season in Houston

The Nicholls State University baseball team will open their season in Houston, Texas tomorrow facing the University of Houston and Tulane University.

Since there are multiple Texas natives on the team, the Colonels said that they look forward to experiencing a supportive atmosphere in Houston, even though their opening day will be spent away from Ray E. Didier Field.

“I have a lot of family in that area. It’s always good to go to Texas and play because it’s familiar to me and it’s my comfort zone,” sophomore infielder Ethan Valdez said. “All of us Texas boys have a little fun when we get to play in Texas.”

Senior Ross McWhorter, Houston native, said he is eager to kick off his last season with the Colonels in his hometown where he will see familiar faces in the crowd.

“My parents are coming for sure, and I might have an aunt and an uncle coming as well,” McWhorter said. “It’s pretty cool, especially since it’s my last year and I get to be right at home for our first away games. It’s exciting to finally get on the road and go play somebody else.”

Assistant Coach Walt Jones said since the coaching staff has recruited heavily in the Southeast, particularly in Texas, being able to give those players a chance to play in their home state is something special that the coaches believe is important.

On Feb. 16, 2014, the Colonels were swept away by the University of Houston in the Opening Weekend series after falling 3-2 in Houston on Cougar Field.

Despite the loss, both Jones and Head Coach Seth Thibodeaux believe the opportunity to open on the road against tough teams will give the Colonels a chance to get even better.

“I know a few years back we went there and played the University of Houston to open up, and it was a big part of shaping that team,” Jones said. “I think having the opportunity to go over there and play against them and another quality opponent like Wake Forest just makes us better. It tests us and lets us know where we’re at, and it’s good. I think it’s healthy.”

In a previous interview, Thibodeaux said he has wanted to return to Houston and face the Cougars again since that opening weekend in 2014.

“We opened up there this senior class’s freshman year and I’ve always said to myself that I want to go back and play that type of program because of how hard they played and how much better we got because we played that team early,” Thibodeaux said. “It’s a neat environment and to be able to play multiple teams, it will have a regional feel to it.”

McWhorter said it will be important for the team to remember the goals they have set together, and if they remain united, they will perform well this weekend.

“We know who we are and we know what our goals are. Everyone sets out to win the Southland Conference Championship, but we also have smaller goals that we know will help us achieve that big goal,” McWhorter said. “We’re all locked in on that and working hard every day to make sure we’re the best that we can be.”

According to Jones, the most important thing for the Colonels to remember this weekend is that they are there to compete.

Jones said if the team can play well and compete, they will have a good chance of finding themselves in a one-run game.

Focusing on what Jones said, Valdez did not underestimate what it means to simply compete.

“We have a plan and we’re going to follow that plan with our coaches leading the way,” Valdez said. “We want to sweep the weekend, but we’re going to compete. That’s our main objective, to compete.”