Nicholls baseball opener took dramatic turn for the better

In its season-opening series against the Stony Brook University Seawolves, the Nicholls State University baseball team ended on a high note after dropping the first
three games.

SERIES RECAP
In their opening game at Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier field on Friday, Feb. 16, the Colonels fell in a 6-5 loss to the Seahawks. Contributing to the offensive effort with one hit a piece were freshman Xane Washington and senior infielders Joey Morales and Gage Teer. Junior infielder Ethan Valdez led the way with four hits on the night.

On Saturday, the Colonels saw more offensive action after they managed to bang out two home runs and bring runners across home plate in innings five through eight.

Despite the improvements, they resulted in a 5-4 loss after the Seahawks scored on an RBI in the ninth. Senior catcher Kyle Knauth produced the first homerun of the season with senior outfielder Chet Neihaus who also went 2-for- 3 on the night following.

In the third game of the series, the Colonels could not keep the bats hot after the first inning where Teer doubled to bring Neihaus and Knauth home. Knauth was able to bring Washington home in the seventh, but the Colonel’s six hits left them in a 6-3 loss against the Seahawks.

In the fourth and final game of the weekend, the Colonels’ offence came to life and resulted in a 14-7 win over the Seahawks. With 15 hits and 14 RBIs, the Colonels brought runners home in the fourth, sixth and eight innings, with six of the total runs coming in the sixth inning. The Colonels and the Seahawks each saw a large mix of six different pitchers on the mound throughout the night, including a first-time appearance of freshman Brandon Andrews for the Colonels.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
Junior infielder and right-handed pitcher Adam Tarver earned the win in Monday’s game but said any pitcher on the squad is capable of doing that and more.

“Whichever pitcher we bring out to pitch is more than capable of getting the job done, Tarver said. “I think the momentum came from the offense and playing with anger and toughness.”

Aside from doing what it takes on the pitching mound specifically, Tarver said the mental and physical strain of a four-game series is something that the baseball team has fully prepared for.

“Four games in a row can be physically challenging, but that’s why we put so much into our off-season training and our conditioning program,” Tarver said. “Baseball is generally a mental game but we didn’t let the first three games get to us; we played hard and competed. We all have the same goal no matter who is on the field.”

Spending time over home plate both defensively as a catcher and when he is at bat, Knauth said he is driven and motivated by him teammates.

“What drives me when I’m up to bat is producing for my team; I want to get on base any way possible,” Knauth said. “When I’m hitting, I am trying to take my best swing. Baseball is a game of momentum and the more the momentum is on our side, the better chance we have of winning.”

While he focuses on the present moment during batting, Knauth said he has to stay ahead of the game to be a successful cacher.

“I always have to be one step ahead as a catcher,” Knauth said. “When our team makes a great defensive play, it fires me up and reiterates the trust I have in my teammates. We have one of the best defenses in the league and I’m excited to see where this season takes us.”

LOOKING AHEAD
The Colonels are scheduled to play tomorrow, Feb. 21 in a mid-week game at Prairie View A&M University at 2 p.m. They will remain in Texas through the weekend where they are slated to play in the Whataburger Classic and face Texas A&M University on Friday at 6 p.m., Mississippi State University on Saturday at 2 p.m. and UC-Santa Barbara on Sunday at 11 a.m.