NSU Baseball Weekly Report

Northwestern State Baseball Report – April 19, 2010
Overall Record: 25-10 (12-5 in Southland Conference)

Last Week: 4-0
April 13 def. Jackson State 17-5 (7)
April 16 def. Texas-San Antonio 10-0 (8)
April 17 def. Texas-San Antonio 6-5
April 17 def. Texas-San Antonio 12-2 (8)

Nominee for Pitcher of the Week
Luke Irvine, RHP, Jr.-TR, 6-1, 200, Liberty, Missouri, Liberty HS, MCC Maple Woods
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 SO

Irvine ran his record to 4-2 on the season after he threw seven shutout innings while allowing just two hits in a 10-0, 8-inning win over Texas-San Antonio on Friday. After he gave up a lead-off double to start the game, he did not allow another hit until the sixth inning as he struck out nine and walked just two. He lowered his season ERA to 2.05.

Nominee for Hitter of the Week
RF Tyler Baisley, Sr.-1L, 6-6, 200, Gilbert, Arizona, Greenway HS
.563, 4 G, 4 GS, 9-16, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 2 2B, 1.063 SLG, .529 OB, 0 BB, 3 SO, SF, 2-2 SB

Baisley hit safely in all four games for the week with multiple hits in all but one… knocked in a career-high 5 runs in Saturday’s game two of a double-header against UTSA when he went 4-for-4 with 5 RBIs, two runs scored, two home runs, and a double… in the first game of the DH on Saturday, he had one hit but it scored the winning run as the Demons rallied from a 5-3, 9th-inning deficit to win 6-5… he started out the week with a 2-for-3 game with 4 RBIs in a 17-5 win at Jackson State… he had two hits and scored two runs in Friday’s win… also stole two bases in two attempts.

Weekly Outlook
The Demons went 4-0 for the week and increased their winning streak to six games… Three of the four wins came via the 10-run mercy rule… NSU outscored its opponents 45-12 for the week while hitting .450 at the plate… three starters hit over .500 while a total of six hit .400 or better… Colin Bear celebrated his birthday on Saturday by hitting two home runs in the second game of a doubleheader vs. UTSA – they were his first two round-trippers of the season… the Demons hit 7 homeruns in the weekend SLC series. They came into the series with 7 home runs total in the previous 14 SLC games… Saturday’s game 1 starting pitcher Ryan Zimmerman saw his consecutive scoreless inning streak snapped at 16 straight… Friday’s 10-0 shutout win was the fourth of the season for the Demons and third in conference play – the most since the 2005 SLC championship team had three league shutout wins and seven total.

The Week Ahead
Tuesday, April 20 vs. LSU, 6 p.m. (Fair Grounds Field – Shreveport, La.)
Wednesday, April 21 at LSU, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, April 23 at Texas State, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 24 at Texas State, 2 p.m.
Sunday, April 25 at Texas State, 1 p.m.

Chief Caddo is cool, ESPN says

Thursday evening on ESPN's SportsCenter, Chief Caddo got called cool.

The biggest trophy in sports, the prize in the NSU-Stephen F. Austin football rivalry, was featured in a piece spotlighting what ESPN called "the coolest trophies in sports."

Getting into that exclusive club: the green jacket for the Masters' golf champion; the Stanley Cup for the NHL king; the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the Super Bowl winner; and the Heisman Trophy for the top player in college football.

The feature included a significant amount of footage of the Chief in action, which is to say, the Chief standing there not moving and hoping like the dickens the Demons were coming to pick him up and bring him home, which is usually what happens each year.

Former Demon Miles Durham gets hit, RBI against Stephen Strasburg

All of the baseball world's eyes were focused on the pitching debut of last year's No. 1 draft pick by the Washington Nationals in Stephen Strasburg on Sunday as his team, the Harrisburg Senators, a AA club, visited Altoona, whose roster contains former Northwestern State star Miles Durham.

Strasburg, who reported throwing in the upper 90s for most of his five innings of work, gave up four hits and four runs in the game. One of those hits came off the bat of Durham who pasted a line drive single up the middle to score a run.

Durham finished the day 2-for-4 at the plate and is hitting .308 for the Curve, a AA squad affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates and a member of the Eastern League.

Durham's Curve lost the game 6-4, but you can bet Miles' confidence jumped a few notches knowing that he can be successful against a future Major League star.

Sympathy for our friend Tony Taglavore

Tony Taglavore's mom passed away Thursday evening and we felt you'd want to know. Tony is the play by play voice of the Lady Demon basketball team, does some play by play in the spring baseball and softball coverage by the Demon Sports Network, and is the color analyst for Demon football on the Demon Sports Network.

His passion pours through the microphone. He's a frequent contributor to the Daily Demon blog, too.

To send your condolences: Tony Taglavore, 127 Presido Lane, Shreveport, LA 71115 ... and he is also on Facebook.

For arrangements, and much more about a remarkable woman, read the beautiful obituary below.

OBITUARY FOR LOU ANNA RICHARDSON TAGLAVORE


Anyone who had the pleasure of knowing Lou Anna Richardson Taglavore is invited to pay their respects by attending visitation Monday, April 12th, from 5-8pm at Osborn Funeral Home, 3631 Southern Avenue, in Shreveport. You are also invited to attend funeral services Tuesday, April 13th, at 10am at Osborn. Interment will follow at Forest Park Cemetery. Dr. Pat Day, Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church in Shreveport, will officiate.

Lou was called home to be with the Lord April 8th after a extended illness. It is there where she will be reunited with her parents, Ola Wilson and C.A. “Pete” Richardson.

Lou was born November 16, 1937, in Grant Parish, Louisiana. She worked at Dow Chemical Company in Shreveport, was for many years the backbone of a family business, and retired from Dillard’s department store in Shreveport after 16 years of service. She is survived by her son and only child, Anthony (Tony) Michael Taglavore, her sister, Claire Richardson Evans and husband Charles E. “Chuck” Evans of Williana, Louisiana, and several nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Mark Barnard, Chuck Evans, Mark Evans, Robert (Bob) Griffin, Raymond (Skip) Kordas, and Sam Schachter. Honorary Pallbearers will be Lou’s closest friends: Janell Bullard, Linda Hammond, Gayle Monsour, Mickie Parr, Evelyn Rogers, and Pat Tharpe.

The family would like to express its sincere appreciation to Germaine Cassiere, M.D., for providing Lou’s longtime medical care. The family would also like to thank Robert Goodman, M.D., Robert Schuler, M.D., Jennifer Alford, R.N., Joni Cannon, R.N., Ricky Larimer, R.N., Kevin Toups, R.N., the doctors of Northwest Louisiana Nephrology Clinic, the staff of Willis-Knighton Pierremont, Cornerstone Hospital, and First United Methodist Church in Shreveport for their compassionate care and concern over the past several months.

A special feeling of appreciation is expressed to Al Taglavore for his acts of thoughtfulness throughout Lou’s illness.

A special expression of thanks is extended to Dr. Charles and Kimberly Lyon of Vitreo-Retinal Associates, and Greg Burke, Doug Ireland, and Matt Bonnette of the Northwestern State University athletic department , for their understanding in allowing Lou’s son, Tony, to spend time with her in her final months.

Lou was a true Christian, a wonderful person, a great mother, and her son’s best friend. She understood that life’s most important things are the simple things. The love and wisdom she gave will remain with us.

Wanna see FAST?

Watch the video from Flotrack and check out the back stretch charge by Michael Green on the final leg of the Demons' winning 4x400 relay performance at the Texas Relays!

http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view_video/236783/324269

That's what covering 400 meters in 45.55 seconds looks like. He eats up some fast fellows from North Texas, Kansas, Louisiana Tech and Houston, and wins going away. The Demons begin in lane 6 and in the second lap all the runners come inside. NSU is in purple uniforms.

Pretty impressive surge at about the 250-275 meter mark on the second leg by Kendal Taylor.

Michael Batts ran the first leg and Jamie Emery had leg No. 3.