The 2021 Nicholls Colonels baseball team represented Nicholls State University during the 2021 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Colonels played their home games at Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field and were led by eleventh–year head coach Seth Thibodeaux. They were members of the Southland Conference. On June 2, 2021, following the conclusion of the 2021 season, Seth Thibodeaux resigned from his head coaching duties after amassing an overall record of 287–290 in his eleven seasons.
Preseason
Southland Conference Coaches Poll The Southland Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 11, 2021, and the Colonels were picked to finish eighth in the conference with 108 votes.
Coaches poll 1 Sam Houston State 276 (17) 2 Central Arkansas 247 (5) 3 McNeese State 244 (1) 4 Southeastern Louisiana 243 (3) 5 Northwestern State 193 6 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi 146 7 Incarnate Word 144 8 Nicholls 108 9 New Orleans 101 10 Abilene Christian 98 11 Stephen F. Austin 92 12 Lamar 87 13 Houston Baptist 49
Preseason All-Southland Team & Honors
First Team Ryan Flores (UIW, 1st Base) Nate Fisbeck (MCNS, 2nd Base) Beau Orlando (UCA, 3rd Base) JC Correa (LAMR, Shortstop) Gavin Johnson (SHSU, Catcher) Clayton Rasbeary (MCNS, Designated Hitter) Sean Arnold (UIW, Outfielder) Brandon Bena (HBU, Outfielder) Colton Cowser (SHSU, Outfielder) Noah Cameron (UCA, Pitcher) Will Dion (MCNS, Pitcher) Kyle Gruller (HBU, Pitcher) Conner Williams (UCA, Pitcher) Itchy Burts (TAMUCC, Utility)
Second Team Preston Faulkner (SELA, 1st Base) Logan Berlof (LAMR, 2nd Base) Anthony Quirion (LAMR, 3rd Base) Reid Bourque (MCNS, Shortstop) Chris Sandberg (NICH, Catcher) Lee Thomas (UIW, Designated Hitter) Josh Ragan (UCA, Outfielder) Jack Rogers (SHSU, Outfielder) Tyler Smith (NSU, Outfielder) John Gaddis (TAMUCC, Pitcher) Gavin Stone (UCA, Pitcher) Luke Taggart (UIW, Pitcher) Jeremy Rodriguez (SFA, Pitcher) Jake Dickerson (MCNS, Utility)
Roster 2021 Nicholls Colonels roster Pitchers 3 Cade Evans - Junior 12 Devin Desandro - Freshman 18 Logan Miracle - Sophomore 19 Tyler Theriot - Sophomore 20 Nick Heckman - Sophomore 21 Trever Kilcrease - Senior 24 Nick Hill - Sophomore 28 Chase Gearing - Sophomore 30 Joe Taylor - Junior 31 David Vial Jr. - Junior 32 Colin Kramer - Senior 37 Luke Barbier - Freshman 38 Nico Saltaformaggio - Freshman 39 Bradley Ely - Sophomore 40 Gavin Galy - Freshman 42 Josh Mancuso - Sophomore 44 Peter Holland - Senior 47 Beau Balado - Senior Catchers 6 Greg Anderberg - Senior 34 Parker Serio - Freshman 41 Austin Trahan - Sophomore 45 Erick Hernandez - Junior 46 Lucas Hatch - Sophomore
Infielders 1 Justin Ory - Redshirt Junior 2 Blaise Breerwood - Freshman 11 Dillon Belle - Senior 14 JD Davis - Senior 15 Austin Cain - Sophomore 16 Alex Galy - Senior 25 Grant Askins - Sophomore 29 Parker Coddou - Freshman 36 Kyle Boudreaux - Sophomore
Outfielders 4 Mason Turner - Sophomore 5 Wes Toups - Freshman 7 Basiel Williams - Redshirt Freshman 8 Xane Washington - Redshirt Sophomore 13 Dane Simon - Junior 22 Alec Paz - Senior 23 Caleb Hill - Freshman 27 Garrett Urry - Freshman 50 Donovan Hamilton - Freshman
Coaching staff 2021 Nicholls Colonels coaching staffSeth Thibodeaux – Head Coach – 11th year Tyler Cook – Assistant Head Coach/Pitching Coach/Recruiting Coordinator/MLB Liaison – 2nd year Ford Pemberton – Assistant Head Coach/Hitting Coach/Academic Liaison – 5th year Lee Clark – Assistant Head Coach/Outfielders Coach/Camp Coordinator – 1st year Rickey Smith – Player Development/Operations Coordinator – 2nd year
Schedule and results Legend Nicholls win Nicholls loss Postponement/Cancelation/SuspensionsBoldNicholls team member
2021 Nicholls Colonels baseball game log Regular season (21-34) February (2-4) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC RecordFeb. 20 Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA W 11-4 Saltaformaggio (1-0) Decicco (0-1) None 571 1-0 Feb. 20 Eastern Illinois Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA L 3-4 Hampton (1-0) Gearing (0-1) Stevenson (1) 657 1-1 Feb. 21 Eastern Illinois Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA L 2-3 (10 inns) Laxner (1-0) Taylor (0-1) Anshutz (1) 584 1-2 Feb. 26 Youngstown State Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA W 7-6 Desandro (1-0) Brosky (0-1) Taylor (1) 547 2-2 Feb. 27 at No. 11 LSU Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field • Baton Rouge, LA L 0-14 Marceaux (1-0) Theriot (0-1) None SECN+ 3,003 2-3 Feb. 28 Youngstown State Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA L 4-7 Ball (1-0) Heckman (0-1) Clift Jr. (2) 737 2-4 March (9-8) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC RecordMar. 3 at No. 11 LSU Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field • Baton Rouge, LA L 4-5 Fontenot (1-0) Taylor (0-2) None SECN+ 1,902 2-5 Mar. 6 at Louisiana–Monroe Warhawk Field • Monroe, LA W 5-2 Gearing (1-1) Barnes (0-1) Taylor (2) 684 3-5 Mar. 6 at Louisiana–Monroe Warhawk Field • Monroe, LA L 3-5 Lindsay (1-1) Kilcrease (0-1) Orton (1) 684 3-6 Mar. 7 at Louisiana–Monroe Warhawk Field • Monroe, LA L 4-6 Lien (2-0) Desandro (1-1) Goleman (1) 623 3-7 Mar. 12 Stephen F. Austin Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA W 8-6 Gearing (2-1) Gennari (1-2) Taylor (3) 641 4-7 1-0Mar. 13 Stephen F. Austin Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA W 3-2 (10 inns) Balado (1-0) Jaco (0-1) None 683 5-7 2-0Mar. 13 Stephen F. Austin Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA W 2-1 Theriot (1-1) Rodriguez (0-1) None 703 6-7 3-0Mar. 14 Stephen F. Austin Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA W 2-1 Theriot (2-1) Cuellar (0-1) Taylor (4) 645 7-7 4-0Mar. 16 Louisiana Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA L 8-9 Cooke (2-2) Theriot (2-2) Bradford (1) 733 7-8 Mar. 19 at Abilene Christian Crutcher Scott Field • Abilene, TX W 7-6 Balado (2-0) Chirpich (2-1) Taylor (5) 196 8-8 5-0Mar. 20 at Abilene Christian Crutcher Scott Field • Abilene, TX L 1-4 Cervantes (3-0) Kilcrease (0-2) None 200 8-9 5-1Mar. 20 at Abilene Christian Crutcher Scott Field • Abilene, TX L 5-6 Riley (5-0) Evans (0-1) None 200 8-10 5-2Mar. 21 at Abilene Christian Crutcher Scott Field • Abilene, TX W 7-4 Heckman (1-1) Jackson (0-1) None 221 9-10 6-2Mar. 26 Houston Baptist Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA L 4-5 Austin (2-0) Taylor (0-3) None 545 9-11 6-3Mar. 27 Houston Baptist Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA W 2-1 Kilcrease (1-2) Coats (0-4) Theriot (1) 671 10-11 7-3Mar. 27 Houston Baptist Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA W 5-4 (12 inns) Saltaformaggio (2-0) Smitherman (0-1) None 701 11-11 8-3Mar. 28 Houston Baptist Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA L 2-6 Burch (1-0) Heckman (1-2) None 573 11-12 8-4Mar. 30 Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA Game postponed April (6-11) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC RecordApr. 1 Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA W 2-1 (11 inns) Taylor (1-3) Shunk (1-1) None 577 12-12 Apr. 2 UT Martin Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA W 7-0 Kilcrease (2-2) Cannon (4-3) None 777 13-12 Apr. 3 UT Martin Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA L 0-2 Folks (2-2) Heckman (1-3) Hussey (1) 803 13-13 Apr. 6 at Louisiana M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA L 2-3 Menard (1-1) Kilcrease (2-3) Durke (1) 815 13-14 Apr. 9 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA L 3-7 (10 inns) Ramirez (2-2) Theriot (2-3) None 673 13-15 8-5Apr. 9 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA L 1-5 Gaddis (1-3) Gearing (2-2) None 627 13-16 8-6Apr. 10 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA W 1-0 Desandro (2-1) Shy (0-3) Taylor (6) 793 14-16 9-6Apr. 11 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA L 2-12 Moeller (2-0) Heckman (1-4) Ramirez (1) 787 14-17 9-7Apr. 17 at Lamar Vincent–Beck Stadium • Beaumont, TX W 10-3 Gearing (3-2) Olivarez (0-2) None 503 15-17 10-7Apr. 17 at Lamar Vincent–Beck Stadium • Beaumont, TX L 2-11 Bravo (4-1) Kilcrease (2-4) None 503 15-18 10-8Apr. 18 at Lamar Vincent–Beck Stadium • Beaumont, TX W 3-2 Desandro (3-1) Ekness (0-2) Taylor (7) 499 16-18 11-8Apr. 18 at Lamar Vincent–Beck Stadium • Beaumont, TX L 2-5 Michael (3-2) Heckman (1-5) Dallas (8) 499 16-19 11-9Apr. 24 at Northwestern State Demons H. Alvin Brown–C. C. Stroud Field • Natchitoches, LA L 3-7 Harmon (3-2) Gearing (3-3) None 16-20 11-10Apr. 24 at Northwestern State H. Alvin Brown–C. C. Stroud Field • Natchitoches, LA L 6-13 Carver (5-3) Kilcrease (2-5) None 501 16-21 11-11Apr. 25 at Northwestern State H. Alvin Brown–C. C. Stroud Field • Natchitoches, LA L 2-3 Michel (2-2) Balado (2-1) None 511 16-22 11-12Apr. 25 at Northwestern State H. Alvin Brown–C. C. Stroud Field • Natchitoches, LA L 1-2 Ohnoutka (2-0) Mancuso (0-1) Makarewich (2) 511 16-23 11-13Apr. 30 Incarnate Word Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA W 2-1 Gearing (4-3) Cassidy (1-2) Taylor (8) 784 17-23 12-13 May (4–11) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC RecordMay 1 Incarnate Word Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA L 1-6 Minter (1-2) Desandro (3-2) None 637 17-24 12-14May 1 Incarnate Word Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA L 2-3 Zavala (5-3) Kilcrease (2-6) Garza (3) 684 17-25 12-15May 2 Incarnate Word Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA W 7-5 Balado (3-1) Garza (3-4) Taylor (9) 777 18-25 13-15May 5 Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA Game cancelledMay 7 at Southeastern Louisiana Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field • Hammond, LA W 11-3 (10 inns) Balado (4-1) Harrington (1-1) None ESPN+ 1,035 19-25 14-15May 8 at Southeastern Louisiana Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field • Hammond, LA L 6-7 Flettrich (1-1) Kilcrease (2-7) Shaffer (2) ESPN+ 968 19-26 14-16May 8 at Southeastern Louisiana Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field • Hammond, LA L 4-5 Stuprich (6-1) Desandro (3-3) Shaffer (3) ESPN+ 1,053 19-27 14-17May 9 Southeastern Louisiana Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA W 4-2 Heckman (2-5) Kinzeler (4-3) Taylor (10) 847 20-27 15-17May 14 at McNeese State Joe Miller Ballpark • Lake Charles, LA L 0-7 Hudgens (1-2) Gearing (4-4) None 398 20-28 15-18May 15 at McNeese State Joe Miller Ballpark • Lake Charles, LA L 3-13 (7 inns) Dion (7-4) Kilcrease (2-8) None 447 20-29 15-19May 15 at McNeese State Joe Miller Ballpark • Lake Charles, LA L 7-10 Ellison (4-3) Mancuso (0-2) Vega (1) 419 20-30 15-20May 16 at McNeese State Joe Miller Ballpark • Lake Charles, LA L 5-6 Abraham (3-2) Heckman (2-6) Foster (4) 437 20-31 15-21May 21 Sam Houston State Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA L 4-11 Davis (6-4) Gearing (4-5) Rudis (1) 727 20-32 15-22May 21 Sam Houston State Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA L 3-16 (7 inns) Robinson (4-1) Kilcrease (2-9) Peters (1) 697 20-33 15-23May 22 Sam Houston State Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA L 4-5 Atkinson (5-1) Desandro (3-4) Lusk (7) 642 20-34 15-24May 22 Sam Houston State Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA W 5-4 (11 inns) Theriot (3-3) Wesneski (2-2) None 787 21-34 16-24 Schedule source: *Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the D1Baseball poll.
Postseason
Conference accolades Player of the Year: Colton Cowser – SHSU Hitter of the Year: Colton Eager – ACU Pitcher of the Year: Will Dion – MCNS Relief Pitcher of the Year: Tyler Cleveland – UCA Freshman of the Year: Brennan Stuprich – SELA Newcomer of the Year: Grayson Tatrow – ACU