By Jason Pugh, Northwestern State Associate Athletic Director for Athletic Communications; featured photo by Chris Reich, NSU Photographic Services
NATCHITOCHES – New season, new-look stadium, same gritty team.
That is the balance Northwestern State hopes to strike when the Demons open the 2025 baseball season by hosting former Southland Conference rival Central Arkansas at 6:30 p.m. Friday in the renovated Brown-Stroud Field.
The game opens a three-game series that includes a 6:30 p.m. Saturday matchup before a 1 p.m. Sunday matinee. All three games will air on ESPN+.
“What an exciting time of year and what an exciting time around Demonland,” second-year head coach Chris Bertrand said. “There are a lot of great things going on around our baseball program. What is key for us is finding a way to balance those things.
“We want to be excited for our players, our fans and our program for all the incredible things that are going on. Opening Day always comes with those feelings. At the same time, we want to balance those feelings with knowing it’s a three-game series that opens the year.”
Bertrand’s second edition of the Demons returns 21lettermen from the 2024 season, including eight position players who started at least 36 games.
A year ago, Bertrand and his coaching staff probably felt they needed at least 36 name tags to sort out a roster that was lean on Division I experience.
As the Demons play the first game on their new PIVOT no-infill turf – installed as part of a nearly $2 million gift from the Thornton family of Natchitoches – there is a deep familiarity with one another.
“We have a brotherhood like no other,” senior outfielder/designated hitter Clay Jung said. “It’s a really great atmosphere when you go out and you’re playing with your brothers every day. We have really good chemistry with one another.”
While the Demon lineup returns a plethora of hitters from a year ago, the Northwestern pitching staff will send a pair of veteran arms to the mound for opening weekend.
Sophomore right-hander Dylan Marionneaux (2-4, 7.65 in 2024) and junior right-hander Tyler Bryan (1-3, 5.88, 4 saves) will start the first two games of the series. Jones College transfer right-hander Trent Hillen is expected to start Sunday’s series finale.
That trio will face a Central Arkansas team that went 26-30 and reached the semifinals of the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament.
The Bears return four of their top seven hitters as well as preseason All-Atlantic Sun starting pitcher Charlie Christensen, who will start Friday’s series opener.
“They are an incredibly well-coached baseball team — a team that is similar to ours in that it is blue collar and it is in a community, a town and a university that is similar to ours,” Bertrand said. “What you’re going to see when the umpire says, ‘Play ball,’ is you’re going to see competitors. I know that about (UCA head coach) Nick (Harlan) and I know that about his assistants. You’ll see good old-fashioned competitiveness and good old-fashioned put-your-fists-up and let’s go.”
In addition to Jung, the Demons’ lineup will be anchored by a pair of preseason All-Southland Conference selections – outfielder Reese Lipoma and third baseman Rocco Gump.
Lipoma was the only Northwestern player to start all 55 games a season ago, putting together a breakout junior season where he hit .312 and scored 56 runs – one shy of the school single-season top 10.
A fifth-year senior, Lipoma enters his final opening day in a stadium that has undergone seemingly as much change and growth as he has in his Demon career.
“It’s a weird feeling,” Lipoma said. “Five years have gone by really fast. It doesn’t really feel like five years. I’m ready to get going. I’ve never been more excited as I am right now to be with this group. I think we’re capable of a lot of things, and we’re excited to show everyone.”
Series probables (2024 stats when available)
Friday: UCA RHP Charlie Christensen (5-4, 5.98) at NSU RHP Dylan Marionneaux (2-4, 7.65)
Saturday: UCA RHP Lucas Greer at NSU RHP Tyler Bryan (1-3, 5.88)
Sunday: UCA RHP Coleman McRae (5-5, 6.09) at NSU RHP Trent Hillen
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