Colonels "still grumpy" after tough ending to season

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Nicholls State University head baseball coach Seth Thibodeaux is having a hard time turning on the TV these days – especially during the weekends.

That’s because there’s college baseball on several channels – a constant reminder of how the Colonels 2017 season ended.


Nicholls battled throughout the year, overcoming injuries and finishing with a 29-27 record, including a 15-15 mark in Southland play.

But the Colonels missed postseason play for the second-straight year after blowing multi-run leads in both games in a doubleheader on the final game of the season at Central Arkansas.

If Nicholls had won either of those games, they’d have made the Southland Conference Tournament with a chance to compete for a bid in the NCAAs.


Thibdeaux said having the team’s season end early stings – especially with how it happened. He joked that he and his players have been a little grumpier than normal in recent days, but vowed a strong summer and then a rebound year in 2018.

“It’s not easy watching these games on TV. I can’t do it,” Thibodeaux said. “I have to keep myself busy and keep myself moving to take my mind off it. It’s hard for me to be disappointed in our club because we had injuries and we kept fighting and playing good baseball down the stretch. But our expectation was to be a top four club in the conference and we were a few wins away from that, so it’s time to regroup and get back to where we want to be.”

Thibodeaux mentioned injuries for a reason. Bumps and bruises tore the team’s depth chart to pieces throughout the season.


Offensively, the Colonels’ lineup took a hit when first baseman Kyle Knauth missed about a month of action – a huge blow because he’s among the team’s best hitters.

Knauth returned to action for the end of the season, but missed 18 games total.

In the outfield, Nicholls missed centerfielder Justin Holt, who tore his rotator cuff and missed two months.


Thibodeaux said losing Holt may have been just a glancing blow on the stat sheet to the average fan, because he hit just .207 for the season. But those closest to the team know that the injury had significant long-term effects because of his presence in the field and in the clubhouse.

“That injury really hurt us,” Thibodeaux said. “He made so many plays in the outfield – regardless what he did offensively. He made plays on so many doubles and triples and turned them into outs. He was the leader of our team.”

Weekend starter Alex Ernestine also had a serious injury, but played through it, pitching the final weeks of the season with a torn meniscus.


“He just gutted it out,” Thibodeaux said.

But even with all of the setbacks, the Colonels never caved.

After six Southland series, Nicholls was 8-10 and well behind in the standings.


The Colonels responded by going 7-3 over their next 10 conference games to enter the final day of the season – a double header – needing just one win to advance to postseason play.

It didn’t happen, ultimately, but Thibodeaux said he applauds the effort the team made to dig out of the early-season rut to have a chance in the final stages of the season.

Thibodeaux said the late-season disappointment is something the team will carry on its backs throughout the offseason and into the 2018 campaign.


“It will never be forgotten,” Thibodeaux said. “It will be great motivation for our offseason. (Making the postseason) should have happened, but it didn’t. We could have put the nail in the coffin on both games and it didn’t work out. We left control of our fate in the hands of other teams and in baseball when you do that, sometimes it doesn’t work out. This year, it didn’t work out for us.”

Thibodeaux said the pain of the way the season ended will cease soon and then the only emotion the team will be feeling is optimism for the future.

On the mound, the Colonels have to replace two weekend starters, but they do return Ernestine, who pitched in those situations this past season. The team also brings back closer Adam Tarver, who the team plans to convert into a starter after an eight-save season in 2017.


“We should be solid on the mound,” Thibodeaux said. “We have to replace our top weekend arms, but we have the guys to do it. It’s just a matter of filling the roles and getting it done.”

On the diamond, Thibodeaux said he’s thrilled with the returnees Nicholls will have, including shortstop Joey Morales, second baseman Ethan Valdez, Knauth, infielder Gage Teer and outfielder Chet Niehaus, among others.

Thibodeaux said the 2018 team will have leaders at key positions, which he believes is always key for a club’s success.


More important than that, the team also has a motivation and desire to be better than it was in 2017 – a fire that the coach said will burn for a while within his clubhouse.

“This will be a good group,” Thibodeaux said. “When you return your middle infield guys, your middle of the order guys and some quality arms, it’s exciting. We’re excited about the team coming back and we want to really work hard to take that next step.” •

Nicholls baseballLISA NEAL | LISA NEAL PHOTOGRAPHY


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