HAMMOND – Jakob Nunez came to Northwestern State with the reputation of being a defensive-minded catcher.
 
In the first half of the 2019 baseball season, the graduate transfer from UT-Arlington has lived up to that advanced billing and then some.
 
As the Demons prepare to open the second half of Southland Conference play with a 6 p.m. Friday matchup at Southeastern Louisiana, Nunez has made his mark picking off runners and picking up his pitchers.
 
Nunez has recorded six pickoffs while appearing in 20 games (16 starts). He and fellow catcher Marshall Skinner will be in the crosshairs this weekend against a Lions squad that leads the Southland and ranks 23rd nationally in stolen bases with 64 steals.
 
"Catching in general is exciting for me, but when teams like to run or put guys in motion, I like it," Nunez said. "I like the challenge, and it makes me excited about this series."
 
In addition to Friday night's series opener, the Demons (19-12, 9-6) and Lions (16-17, 8-4) will play a pair of 1 p.m. games Saturday and Sunday. All three games can be heard on 100.7 FM KZBL and the Demon Sports Network. Free streaming audio is available through www.NSUDemons.com and the new Northwestern State Athletics mobile app, which can be downloaded free from the Apple Store or Google Play. Patrick Netherton will handle the play-by-play call of the game.
 
While Nunez has picked off runners at a pretty regular rate this season, his bat is coming around.
 
He went 2-for-3 with a double and a pair of RBIs in the Demons' 8-4 loss at ULM on Wednesday, and his 12-to-10 walk-to-strikeout ratio makes him the only NSU hitter to have walked more times than he has struck out this season.
 
Whether it is pickoffs or hits, Nunez says just one can jump start his confidence at the plate or behind it.
 
"It's the same," he said. "You get a hit, and then you feel good. You make a good throw, and you start throwing it wherever you want."
 
At no time was Nunez' strong, accurate arm on display more than in the March 17 series finale against New Orleans.
 
In the second inning, Nunez and right-handed pitcher Nathan Jones combined to record all three outs in the inning via pickoff. Nunez cut down a runner at first and one at second while Jones nailed one Privateer at first to complete a unique inning.
 
"It affects everything," third-year head coach Bobby Barbier said of both Nunez' and fellow catcher Marshall Skinner's arms. "All your secondary leads, not just the ones he picks off. Now, it's a focal point for a weekend. They have to talk about it. You can't be as aggressive.
 
"It's like Nathan when he's pitching. He has a good move. I can say that because everybody knows it. Every time those runners get on first base, they have that in the back of their mind. It causes them to move slower. That's what those guys can do – they can change the game in that way."
 
Nunez' six pickoffs are the most by a Demon since Aaron Munoz nailed seven runners in 2011. A season earlier, Munoz caught 13 runners off base. No other Demon has been close to double figures since then.
 
In the game against the Privateers, Nunez showed he was more than just a power arm and did so quickly. Immediately after picking off those two runners, Nunez connected on his first NSU home run, a two-run shot in the bottom of the second that put the Demons ahead to stay in an 8-1 win.
 
It was an easy call for Nunez to pick the achievement that made him happiest.
 
"I liked the pickoffs better," he said. "That's what I do. I'm more defense first. I'm not here to hit 15 home runs. I'm here to help out the guys on defense."
 
Series probables:
Friday – Northwestern State LHP Ridge Heisler (3-3, 2.85) at Southeastern Louisiana RHP Corey Gaconi (4-2, 2.35)
Saturday – Northwestern State RHP Nathan Jones (4-1, 2.77) at Southeastern Louisiana RHP Mason Knopp (3-1, 3.90)
Sunday – Northwestern State RHP Cullen McDonald (3-0, 2.27) at Southeastern Louisiana RHP Will Warren (2-4, 7.04)