Judy Ledet
May 14, 2007Jill Lyons
May 16, 2007
From NSU Sports Information
Texas-San Antonio claimed the weekend series over Nicholls after taking Sunday’s final game, 2-1, on Senior Day at Ray E. Didier Field.
Michael Bartek (2-10), who pitched his second complete game in as many weeks, suffered the loss, allowing two runs, both earned on seven his, and fanning a career-high eight batters. Reliever Josh Blakley (6-0) picked up the win for the UTSA, limiting Nicholls to just one hit, while striking out five, in the final 3.2 innings of play.
Quinton Corley and Zac Bone each finished with two hits for the Colonels. Mitch Ponza led the Roadrunners at the plate, going 2-for-3, with a double and RBI.
UTSA (32-19, 22-5) took a quick 1-0 lead after consecutive two-out doubles by Zach Etheredge and Ponza led to the first run of the game.
Nicholls (10-42, 6-21) tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Colonels put runners on first and second with no one out after Anthony Wray began the inning with a single and Keith Kulbeth was hit by a pitch. Corley then singled through the left side; however, Wray was gunned down at home by Roadrunner center fielder Michael Rockett. UTSA starter Ryan Proudfoot then plunked Shane Barksdale, the last batter he would face, to load the bases. Roadrunner skipper Sherman Corbett would bring in Blakley to face Brett Hoeflich. Hoeflich was able to fly out to deep center field to score Kulbeth with the tying run. Blakley would then get Marino to groundout to end the inning.
The Roadrunners retook the lead in their half of the eighth inning. Tim Palincsar drew a one-out walk and then moved to third on Rockett’s single through the right side. Trent Lockwood followed with a ground out to first that brought Palincsar home with the game-winning run.
In the first two games of the series, Nicholls won 4-1 and lost 9-5.
The Colonels will play their final home game of the 2007 season on Tuesday, as they host Louisiana-Lafayette at 6:30 p.m. Nicholls will wrap up the season in Hammond, when it faces in-state rival Southeastern Louisiana in a three-game conference series, beginning Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
Lady Colonels season ends at SLC Tourney
A three run third inning by the Bobcats was enough to ensure a 4-2 victory for Texas State and in the process knock Nicholls out of the Southland Conference Tournament on Friday night.
“The team gave it all they had out there,” said head coach Jenny Parsons.†“I am very proud of my team and all my seniors for a great season.”
Texas State (31-25) scored first in the top of the second when Jetta Wienheimer hit a solo shot over the left field fence to take the early 1-0 lead.†The Colonels (27-28) loaded up the bases in the bottom of the second, but failed to bring any runs home to leave the score 1-0 after two complete.
The Bobcats put three more runs on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning to take a 4-0 lead after two and a half.†Two of the runs came on a homerun by Leah Boatright that scored Karen Taylor, and the other run came on a double by Alex Newton that scored Weinheimer from second.†Junior Krystalin Ensminger was brought on to relieve junior Jessica Barksdale after Weinheimer scored and Ensminger got the Colonels out of the inning.
Nicholls cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth when sophomore Danielle Clayton scored on a throwing error by the Bobcats’ catcher Taylor who was trying to catch freshman Ashely Martin stealing second.†That is all the Colonels could muster and after four complete as Texas State led 4-1.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Colonels picked up a run on an RBI double to right center by junior Amy Thibodeaux that scored junior Kat Harrell from second to make the score 4-2 after five complete.
Both teams failed to score for the remainder of the game as Texas State advanced in the tournament while Nicholls ended its 2007 season.
Two Colonels in World University Games
Basketball Australia announced their 2007 World University squad and among the players on the team were forward Ryan Bathie and guard/forward Stefan Blaszczynski of Nicholls State.
“It is great for Ryan and Stefan to have this opportunity to play for their country and represent Nicholls at the same time,” said head coach J.P. Piper.†“I wish them the best and can’t wait to watch them play.”
Bathie made a school record 86 shots from downtown on a school milestone 230 attempts from behind the arc.
The Melton South, Australia native was the only Colonel last season to start all 30 games for Nicholls on the hardwood and finished his sophomore campaign third on the team with 131 field goals made, third on the team in rebounds with 135, third on the team with 77 assists and third on the team with a 12.5 average a game. He also led the team in blocks with 17.
Blaszczynski led the Southland in scoring this past season with a 19.7 average, and was named to the All-SLC First Team, LSWA First Team and the NABC District 8 Second Team.
He finished his career with 1,373 points and 518 rebounds to place him ninth of the all-time scoring list and 13th on the career rebounding list at Nicholls.†Blaszczynski scored a career best 33 points in his last game as a Colonel against McNeese State in the last contest of the season.
Basketball Australia, in conjunction with Australian University Sport, today announced a talented young team of athletes that will represent Australia in the Men’s Basketball competition at the upcoming 2007 World University Summer Games, Bangkok.
The team, which will be led by Head Coach Bruce Palmer (1989 NBL Championship Coach), includes a mix of athletes with both national and international basketball experience, many of which are currently on basketball scholarships with a number of USA based elite College programs.
Coach Palmer was excited about the team’s prospects ahead of the tournament in Bangkok from Aug. 8-18. “We have been able to assemble a talented and balanced roster that will provide Australia with a solid opportunity to win a medal in the men’s competition at this international event.”
Nicholls baseball vs University of Louisiana Monroe, ULM. Saturday match, NSU won.(Photo by Doug Keese/Nicholls State University)5/13/06
