Nicholls opens the 2009 season at home, facing Chicago State in a three-game weekend series
FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
THIBODAUX, La. – Head Coach Chip Durham announced the 2009 Nicholls baseball schedule Friday morning. The 2009 slate features four SEC opponents, as well as six teams who earned bids to the 2008 postseason.
“I would put our schedule for this season up against anyone’s in the country,” stated Durham. “It’s a really tough schedule with seven SEC games, one Conference-USA and four Sun Belt games, so we’re going to be challenged.”
Nicholls will open the season at home, hosting Chicago State (Feb. 20-22) in the only non-conference weekend series at Didier Field.
The Colonels first road swing of the season will be a tough test, as Nicholls travels to Tuscaloosa, Ala., for two-midweek games at Alabama (Feb. 24-25) before heading to Starkville, Miss., for a weekend series at Mississippi State (Feb. 27-March 1) over the Mardi Gras break.
“We’ll play a total of 30 games at home, and then 24 more on the road,” Durham added. “We start off with a really tough stretch, opening up with Chicago State at home before five really good games at Alabama and Mississippi State over Mardi Gras.”
In non-conference action, the Colonels will play eight mid-week games at home, including hosting Kentucky (March 16), New Orleans (Apr. 1) and South Alabama (Apr. 21).
Nicholls will play five Southland Conference series at home, opening play vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (March 13-15). The Colonels will also host Texas Arlington (March 27-29), Central Arkansas (Apr. 9-11), Sam Houston State (Apr. 17-19), Texas-San Antonio (Apr. 24-26) and McNeese State (May 14-16) in league play.
“This season we’ll play 33 conference games,” said Durham, “including 19 at home, so we’re pleased with having so many of those tough games played on our own field. We’ll play a total of 30 games at home, and then 24 more on the road.”
The Southland Conference slate begins at Lamar (March 6-8) for Nicholls. In league action on the road, the Colonels will face Stephen F. Austin (March 20-22), Northwestern State (Apr. 3-5) and Texas State (May 8-10).
“The Southland Conference will be really tough again this year,” Durham noted. “The top eight teams will go to the tournament in May, and that’s our goal this season – to be one of those eight, to win as many conference games as we can.”
This year, the Colonels’ series with Southeastern Louisiana (May 14-16) will be split, with the Lions hosting Friday and Sunday’s games in Hammond, and Nicholls holding the Saturday game in Thibodaux.
For a full copy of the 2009 Colonels’ baseball schedule, visit www.GeauxColonels.com and click on the ‘Schedule/Results’ link under Baseball.
