Friday, April 17
Nacogdoches, TX
6:00 P.M.
Stephen F. Austin
vs
Nicholls
Photo by: Sarah Williams
Jacks Host Nicholls as SLC Hunt Heats Up
4/16/2026 4:15:00 PM | Baseball
SFA is one game up in the win column on the Colonels; tied for third in SLC standings entering weekend
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The stakes grow increasingly bigger this weekend at Pilgrim's Park as Stephen F. Austin plays host to Nicholls in a three-game Southland Conference series. First pitch in Friday's opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. SFA enters the weekend 11-7 in league play, tied with Lamar for third in the standings, and three games back in the win column of league-leading Northwestern State. The Colonels enter at .500 in league play and positioned directly behind the Jacks in the league standings; one game back in the win column.
SFA is 13-7 at Pilgrim's Park this season which is tied for the most home wins by the program in a single season since 2019. The Jacks' 22 victories this spring match the win total of the 2023 team, while one more win would give SFA its most victories in a single season since 2019. SFA enters the weekend winners in seven of their last eight SLC series dating back to last season.
SCOUTING THE COLONELS
The Colonels are slashing .255/.342/.389 this season and are averaging 5.7 runs per game. On the mound, Nicholls has allowed the second-fewest hits allowed per nine at 8.55, while the staff's 9.5 strikeouts per nine rate second in the SLC.
Caston Thompson is the Southland's leader in home runs with 11 and total bases with 87 which has been powered by the league's top slugging percentage at .621. Haden Luke is the league leader in wins with five and ranks fifth in strikeouts with 51.
JACK NOTABLES
The Jacks picked up a pair of midweek wins in consecutive days with a 13-7 win at Prairie View and a 16-8 victory at home against Alcorn State. SFA moved to 9-2 this season against opponents from the SWAC. In the two games, the Jacks combined for two dozen hits of which ten went for extra bases. SFA put together consecutive five-run first innings and added a six-run fourth against the Braves.
3VAN! 3VAN! 3VAN! --- First-year Jack Evan Aslaksen enjoyed a midweek heater hitting a pair of home runs in the win at PVAMU, before exiting Pilgrim's Park the following day in the home win over Alcorn. In the two games, Aslaksen went 6-for-10 with nine RBI highlighted by three home runs and a triple.
Big Bat Ibe --- Josh Ibe was named the SLC Hitter of the Week on April 6. It was the second weekly SLC honor for the Cypress, Texas native in his SFA career and he became the first Lumberjack this spring to earn the league's weekly plaudit. In four games, Ibe hit .438 with seven hits of which five went for extra bases. He delivered three doubles, a pair of home runs and totaled 16 bases. Ibe drove in a team-leading nine runs and tied for the team lead in runs scored with six.
Nine is Fine --- Junior right hander Dylan Mulcahy recorded a career-high nine strikeouts over 5.1 innings pitched to earn the game three victory and give the Jacks the series over HCU. Mulcahy's nine strikeouts match the most by any SFA arm since the start of the 2023 season.
Eleven is Heaven --- SFA erupted for 11 runs in the eighth inning of the series finale against Lamar to erase a 9-3 deficit on their way to a series win with a 14-11 victory. The Jacks have eight innings of 7+ runs in Vanderburg's tenure with six of those coming this season.
All good things --- Cermodrick Bland's active reached safely streak ended at 31 games following game two of the UNO series.
Seven of 10 --- The Jacks won seven of the squad's first ten games of the season for the first time since 2010.
Impressive Streak --- Julian Swift saw a 19-game hitting streak come to an end in Pine Bluff. Swift's impressive stretch of base knocks is the third longest in program history.
Best Start… Ever --- SFA's 5-0 start to the season is the best in program history, while its sweep of MVSU to open the year marked just the second 4-0 start ever by the Jacks.
Not Tonight --- SFA's effort on the mound, using six different arms, against Huston Tillotson marked the first combined nine-inning no-hitter in program history.
Nine is Fine --- The Jacks swiped nine bases in the game three win over MVSU which is tied for the second-most steals in a single game in program history.
Game One, Game Won --- SFA's 17-2 (7) win over Mississippi Valley State was the Jacks' first win in a season opener since knocking off Northwestern State in the first game of the 2022 campaign.
USA InVESTment --- Former Lumberjack Will Vest earned the call to Houston to join up with Team USA at the World Baseball Classic after being placed into the designated pitcher pool for the tournament. Vest pitched the seventh inning of the WBC's Gold Medal game allowing one hit with one strikeout.
SECURE YOUR SEATS TODAY
Single game tickets for all remaining SFA baseball home games are available now. Fans interested in purchasing season ticket packages can secure their seats here. Don't miss out on all the exciting action from Pilgrim's Park this season!
THE 'JACKS HAVE GONE MOBILE
SFA Athletics' newest mobile phone application is designed to bring Lumberjack fans closer to the action than ever before. Available now on both the App Store and Google Play, the new SFA Athletics app delivers schedules, scores, rosters, news, ticket access, and exclusive content right to your phone. Fans can also receive push notifications, so they never miss a moment of the action. Download now: Official SFA Athletics App.
FOLLOW THE JACKS
For all the latest information on SFA baseball, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Jacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
#AxeEm x #LogByLog
SFA is 13-7 at Pilgrim's Park this season which is tied for the most home wins by the program in a single season since 2019. The Jacks' 22 victories this spring match the win total of the 2023 team, while one more win would give SFA its most victories in a single season since 2019. SFA enters the weekend winners in seven of their last eight SLC series dating back to last season.
SCOUTING THE COLONELS
The Colonels are slashing .255/.342/.389 this season and are averaging 5.7 runs per game. On the mound, Nicholls has allowed the second-fewest hits allowed per nine at 8.55, while the staff's 9.5 strikeouts per nine rate second in the SLC.
Caston Thompson is the Southland's leader in home runs with 11 and total bases with 87 which has been powered by the league's top slugging percentage at .621. Haden Luke is the league leader in wins with five and ranks fifth in strikeouts with 51.
JACK NOTABLES
- SFA's 214 walks drawn this season rank 19th nationally and lead the SLC.
- That effort reaching base has aided in the Jacks ranking second in the SLC in OBP (.391) and runs scored (273).
- SFA has produced a top 70 mark nationally in hits (356), lead the SLC in triples with a dozen and rank third in doubles (69).
- The Jacks pace the Southland in stolen bases (66) and bag swiping average (1.69)
- On the mound, the Jacks hold the league's third-lowest K-to-BB ratio at 2.11 and rank third in walks/9 at 4.30. Both marks are among the top 95 pitching staffs in the country.
- Julian Swift has produced a team-leading 15 multi-hit games this season
- Swift has 14 multi-RBI games this season and seven with 3+
- Swift leads with 52 hits, 11 doubles and 47 RBI (leads SLC) and is one of four Jacks with four jacks
- Mark Henning carries a reached safely streak of 18 games: the longest by a Lumberjack this spring
- Jhett Creel leads the team with a .331 average, 31 runs scored, 35 walks and his OBP of .476 leads the Southland
- Cody Templeton is 4-0 on the season and owns 51 strikeouts in 47.2 innings pitched
- Kadin Munson, Reid Bowyer and Jack James all have a dozen or more appearances our of the bullpen this season
- James leads the 'pen with a 1.00 ERA and a .85 WHIP over 27.0 relief innings. James has totaled 25 strikeouts; the most among any arm without a start this spring, and owns a 5-to-1 K-to-BB ratio
- Munson has appeared in a team-high 14 games tossing 11.0 innings
- Bowyer owns a K-to-BB ratio north of 3-to-1
The Jacks picked up a pair of midweek wins in consecutive days with a 13-7 win at Prairie View and a 16-8 victory at home against Alcorn State. SFA moved to 9-2 this season against opponents from the SWAC. In the two games, the Jacks combined for two dozen hits of which ten went for extra bases. SFA put together consecutive five-run first innings and added a six-run fourth against the Braves.
3VAN! 3VAN! 3VAN! --- First-year Jack Evan Aslaksen enjoyed a midweek heater hitting a pair of home runs in the win at PVAMU, before exiting Pilgrim's Park the following day in the home win over Alcorn. In the two games, Aslaksen went 6-for-10 with nine RBI highlighted by three home runs and a triple.
Big Bat Ibe --- Josh Ibe was named the SLC Hitter of the Week on April 6. It was the second weekly SLC honor for the Cypress, Texas native in his SFA career and he became the first Lumberjack this spring to earn the league's weekly plaudit. In four games, Ibe hit .438 with seven hits of which five went for extra bases. He delivered three doubles, a pair of home runs and totaled 16 bases. Ibe drove in a team-leading nine runs and tied for the team lead in runs scored with six.
Nine is Fine --- Junior right hander Dylan Mulcahy recorded a career-high nine strikeouts over 5.1 innings pitched to earn the game three victory and give the Jacks the series over HCU. Mulcahy's nine strikeouts match the most by any SFA arm since the start of the 2023 season.
Eleven is Heaven --- SFA erupted for 11 runs in the eighth inning of the series finale against Lamar to erase a 9-3 deficit on their way to a series win with a 14-11 victory. The Jacks have eight innings of 7+ runs in Vanderburg's tenure with six of those coming this season.
All good things --- Cermodrick Bland's active reached safely streak ended at 31 games following game two of the UNO series.
Seven of 10 --- The Jacks won seven of the squad's first ten games of the season for the first time since 2010.
Impressive Streak --- Julian Swift saw a 19-game hitting streak come to an end in Pine Bluff. Swift's impressive stretch of base knocks is the third longest in program history.
Best Start… Ever --- SFA's 5-0 start to the season is the best in program history, while its sweep of MVSU to open the year marked just the second 4-0 start ever by the Jacks.
Not Tonight --- SFA's effort on the mound, using six different arms, against Huston Tillotson marked the first combined nine-inning no-hitter in program history.
Nine is Fine --- The Jacks swiped nine bases in the game three win over MVSU which is tied for the second-most steals in a single game in program history.
Game One, Game Won --- SFA's 17-2 (7) win over Mississippi Valley State was the Jacks' first win in a season opener since knocking off Northwestern State in the first game of the 2022 campaign.
USA InVESTment --- Former Lumberjack Will Vest earned the call to Houston to join up with Team USA at the World Baseball Classic after being placed into the designated pitcher pool for the tournament. Vest pitched the seventh inning of the WBC's Gold Medal game allowing one hit with one strikeout.
SECURE YOUR SEATS TODAY
Single game tickets for all remaining SFA baseball home games are available now. Fans interested in purchasing season ticket packages can secure their seats here. Don't miss out on all the exciting action from Pilgrim's Park this season!
THE 'JACKS HAVE GONE MOBILE
SFA Athletics' newest mobile phone application is designed to bring Lumberjack fans closer to the action than ever before. Available now on both the App Store and Google Play, the new SFA Athletics app delivers schedules, scores, rosters, news, ticket access, and exclusive content right to your phone. Fans can also receive push notifications, so they never miss a moment of the action. Download now: Official SFA Athletics App.
FOLLOW THE JACKS
For all the latest information on SFA baseball, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Jacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
#AxeEm x #LogByLog
Players Mentioned
C
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball3.29.26 | BSB v HCU Series Press Conference
Monday, March 30
3.8.26 | BSB v Lamar Series Press Conference
Monday, March 09
2.17.26 | Baseball Opening Week Postgame Press Conference
Wednesday, February 18
5.10.25 | BSB v UIW Series Press Conference
Monday, May 12
