March 2, 2008

Final Stats

THIBODAUX, La. - The Colonel baseball team committed 10 errors and gave up 12 hits to drop Sunday's rubber match vs. Murray State 13-3 at Ray E. Didier Field.

Thoroughbred starter Chris Craycraft (1-0) got the win as he went seven innings, struck out four and walked just two Colonel batters. Senior Lance Dupuis (0-1) claimed the loss for Nicholls, despite five innings of work with no earned runs. Dupuis struck out five batters for the second time this season, having struck out five in his Friday night appearance vs. La.-Monroe.

"Today was a tough day," said Colonel mentor Chip Durham. "I don't know what to say other than that. Our kids are down and there's no confidence on this team. We're just lacking in leadership right now, which is tough to say because we have 16 seniors on this squad."

Murray State used two big-inning performances to secure the win.

In the second, a combination of Colonel errors and timely hitting put the 'Breds up 4-0.

Murray State added a run in the fourth and another in the sixth - both off of errors by Nicholls.

"Errors have been the story all year for us," Durham added. "At this point, someone just has to step up and get the job done. It's early in the year right now, so there is time for us to gain that confidence."

The Colonels put a run of their own on the board in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Brett Cook led off the inning with an infield single, advanced on an error by the 'Breds and a fielder's choice and was plated by Anthony Wray's single to right.

With the single, Wray extends his hitting streak to six games.

But Murray State's offense exploded in the eighth as the first six Thoroughbred batters reached base and four of the six came around to score.

Nicholls chipped away at a 13-1 Murray State lead in the bottom of the ninth on a two-out, two-RBI double by A.J. DeLaneuville, but the rally ended there as the Colonels fell 13-3.

Sophomore Keith Kulbeth went 2-for-5 on the day, leading off the sixth inning with a single and reaching on an infield single in the eighth.

"Somehow, someway," Durham noted, 'this team has got to do something to gain some confidence. To me, we just need to go to Texas A&M on Tuesday and Wednesday and play well. Whether we win, lose or draw, it doesn't matter, we've got to put ourselves in a situation where we play well defensively and execute offensively."

The Colonels will play the next five games on the road, traveling first to College Station, Texas to face the Aggies of Texas A&M. Tuesday night's first pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m.

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