March 25
March 25, 2009
Vernal Oliver Sr.
March 27, 2009
For Lockport native and 2004 Central Lafourche High School graduate Lance Guidroz, the road to Nicholls State took a detour through Sante Fe, N.M.
It would take two years for him to find his way back home.
It’s not that Guidroz was lost, he just needed more time before playing Division I baseball for the Colonels.
After a productive senior year with Central Lafourche, which saw him earn first-team all-district honors, Guidroz decided to better himself by going the junior college route.
What followed were two years at Santa Fe Community College where Guidroz established himself on the mound.
By the time his two-year stint was up, the right-hander jumped at the opportunity to return home when Colonels’ head coach Chip Durham came calling.
“I knew that where I was in my career, going to play junior college was the best route for me,” Guidroz said. “I was able to get a lot of innings of work in. I saw a lot of competition where I was and it helped me better prepare for my time at Nicholls.”
The chance to come home has been rewarding for Guidroz as he’s had his own cheering section for every home game.
“It’s really good to have my family and friends be able to come watch me play,” he said. “It means a lot to me to be able to have that support.”
However, the cheering was delayed two years ago. A lingering injury from his junior college days forced Guidroz to receive a medical redshirt in 2007.
When he officially returned to the mound last season, Guidroz led the Colonels in appearances on the mound with 21.
In those games, he held left-handed hitters to a .257 batting average and notched 13.2 innings of shutout work while compiling a 5.70 ERA.
He struck out 25 opponents as well.
Even though his ERA didn’t look as impressive as many had hoped, Durham said Guidroz was one of the bright spots on a team that struggled all of last year.
This year, Guidroz is committed to becoming an even better pitcher for the Colonels.
At this point in the season, he maintains a 2.31 ERA. Through seven appearances and 11.2 innings of work so far, he has fanned eight batters and earned one save. Opponents are batting a mere .233 against the senior and he has become the top security blanket for Durham on the mound.
“He’s solid for us out of the pen,” the coach said. “We try not to use him midweek because he is one of those guys that doesn’t bounce back as quickly as some other guys with his arm. In conference, he is the go-to guy for us in middle relief. He’s a big key for us and one of the key reasons we swept Texas A&M-Corpus Christi last week. We’re very glad to have him on our team, and fortunate for the leadership he’s taken on.”
“Guidroz is a strike thrower and he makes the batters earn it off of him. That’s why he’s been so successful this season,” the coach added.
The biggest difference in Guidroz’s performance, Durham said, has been the reliever’s ability to get stronger both mentally and physically in the offseason.
The coach acknowledged Guidroz for the work he’s put in so far.
“It’s night and day,” Durham noted. “Talk about a kid that when he first came here was kind of a frail, skinny kid. Now, with our weight program, he’s gotten a lot stronger. His strength is really good and his lower half is really strong. He works on his conditioning and does a good job of keeping himself in shape. He does all we ask.”
Guidroz is content with being the middleman of the Colonels’ rotation. He understands he won’t earn many wins or saves, but knows the importance of keeping the opposing hitters in check for three innings of relief.
“I don’t care what role I’m in, I’ll do whatever I can to help this team,” he said. “I go where they need me. That’s what they needed me for, so that’s what I’m going to do. Hopefully, I can continue to help this team win games.”
Even as the season reaches its midway point, Guidroz continues to improve his game. Durham said it’s that drive that makes his relief pitcher a sure bet to succeed in any venture after baseball.
“I want to be the manager of a business some day,” Guidroz said. “I’d like to hope I can play baseball for as long as I can, but things don’t always work out that way. I have to prepare myself.”
By the time he finishes his Colonels baseball career, the general studies major hopes to have been a part of a new foundation for Nicholls baseball.
“I know we can make a run. In fact, I think there is a very good possibility that we can go even further with this team,” he said. “We’re a tight-knit group. We hang out with each other in our free time. Everyone on this team loves to play the game and get as much fire as they can.”
Senior reliever Lance Guidroz delivers a pitch against Chicago State earlier in the season. In his final year with Nicholls, the Lockport native has dropped his ERA and has become one of the top relievers in the bullpen for the Colonels. * Photo by KYLE CARRIER
