Nicholls State inks seven players in early baseball signing period

As the early baseball signing period ends, Nicholls State head coach Chip Durham announced that the Colonels have officially signed five junior college and two high school athletes to join the team after this season.

Of the seven signees, three are from the Tri-parish area.

“I am very happy with our early signing class for the 2009-10 school year,” Durham stated. ” Coach Seth Thibodeaux and Coach Chris Prothro did a very nice job on recruiting these student-athletes. Among the seven signees, five are pitchers, one an infielder and one is an outfielder.”

Included among the high school signees, is local standout Cullen Babin from Ellender Memorial High School. Babin was a First Team All-District selection. The five-foot, 11-inch right hander pitched for Joe Teuton and the Babe Ruth state champion Houma Hogs last summer to ready for his senior season.

Another familiar name locals may recognize is Clint Dempster. A Thibodaux native, Dempster attended Thibodaux High School where he was a member of the Tigers 2006 semi-final team. Last season, the lefty posted a 7-5 record for Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, with a 3.14 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 68 innings pitched. Last summer, Dempster also pitched for the Houma Hogs.

Houma native Triston Rodgers is the final local standout signed. Rodgers, a shortstop from Pearl River Community College, hit .320 with 6 homeruns, 18 stolen bases and 35 RBIs last season. Durham describes Rodgers as a versatile player with speed who can play anywhere in the field for Nicholls.

Andrew Olson joins the Colonels from Spring Woods High School in Houston as a right-handed pitcher whose velocity reaches the mid-to upper-80s.

The third right-handed pitcher who signed to Nicholls is Corbin Blaize, a junior college transfer from Pearl River Community College. Blaize, a Bay St. Louis High School graduate, went 3-0 last season with a 3.00 ERA for PRCC.

Norton, a 6-1 southpaw from Pearl River Community College, can reach the upper 80s and has a sharp breaking ball, according to Durham.

The Colonels add two position players for 2010 as JUCO transfers Triston Rodgers and Bear Comer join the squad.

An outfielder, Comer is a left-handed hitter who helped lead Pensacola Junior College to a state championship and a No. 1 ranking nationally last season. A Pace High School graduate, he hit .395 last year with 15 stolen bases.

Durham is pleased with the early crop of Colonels and said he is looking forward to the future of Colonels baseball.

“We are very excited that three of the seven are from the local area,” Durham boasted. “Each one of these guys will make an immediate impact for our program next year.”