Feb. 20, 2009

Box Score

THIBODAUX, La. - Junior Chris Murrill (Mobile, Ala./Alabama Southern CC) turned in a four-hit, four-run performance, leading the Colonels to a 15-0 win over Chicago State in Nicholls' season opener Friday night at Ray E. Didier Field.

"It was a good night for us and a great way to start off the season," said Colonel skipper Chip Durham. "We performed well in all three phases of the game - defense, pitching and hitting."

Picking up the win for the Colonels was senior Lance Dupuis (Crowley, La./Lurleen B. Wallace CC), who improves to 1-0 on the season. The right-hander fanned 11 of the 20 batters he faced, giving up just two hits through six innings of work.

James Tucker took the loss for the Cougars, allowing 15 runs on 16 hits through 6.1 innings on the mound.

Relievers Brad Delatte (St. Amant, La./St. Amant) and Drew Erwin (Alvin, Texas/Alvin) combined to strike out six batters through the final three innings of the night. The Colonel pitchers did not allow a walk.

"Lance Dupuis had a great outing and really pitched well," Durham noted. "We threw strikes, made some plays defensively and swung the bats well with lots of extra-base hits."

Nicholls got on the board early as Murrill singled down the right-field line and scored two batters later on an RBI triple by Scott Moseley (Enterprise, Miss./Meridian CC), giving the Colonels all the runs they would need on the night.

But the Colonel bats exploded in the second inning as Nicholls picked up seven runs on seven hits. Juniors Kevin Schlegel (Oklahoma City, Okla./Northeast Texas CC), Steven Gauthe (Belle Rose, La./Copiah Lincoln CC) and Adam Miley (Baton Rouge, La./Bossier Parish CC) all doubled and drove in RBI in the inning.

Nicholls added three runs in the fifth inning and three more in the seventh en route to the victory.

Murrill finished 4-for-4 at the plate with four runs scored and three RBI, while Gauthe went 3-for-4 with an RBI and four runs scored.

Junior Keith Kulbeth (Opelousas, La./Westminister Christian Academy) also recorded a 3-for-4 performance, including a two-run homerun in the Colonel half of the fifth, followed by Moseley who went 3-for-5.

"We've got a lot of great kids on this club and we have that winning attitude," added Durham. "We're excited to come out and play well and get this season started on a positive note."

For Chicago State, leftfielder Kellon McFarlin went 2-for-3 at the plate, the only Cougar to record multiple hits.

The Colonels and Cougars will meet for game two of a three-game series Saturday at 3 p.m. at Didier Field.

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