April 7, 2009

Box Score

MOBILE, Ala. - Scott Moseley (Enterprise, Miss./Meridian CC) drove an RBI single up the middle, scoring the go-ahead run in the form of Keith Kulbeth (Opelousas, La./Westminister Christian Academy) to put the Colonels on top of South Alabama 12-11 in the top of the ninth for the eventual 13-11 win Tuesday night at Stanky Field.

USA scored four in the bottom of the eighth to take the lead 11-9, but the Colonels rallied with four of their own in the ninth on five hits to take the lead.

Kulbeth went 2-for-5 at the plate, driving in a team-leading three runs and scoring two of his own, and was one of five Colonels with a multi-hit game.

For the Colonels, Ryan Cooper (Sulphur, La./Sulphur) picked up the win, his second of the year after throwing the eighth inning. The lefthander allowed four runs on four hits and struck out one.

Ross Larson (New Lenox, Ill./Lurleen B. Wallace CC) got his fourth save of the season with a one-hit ninth.

Nicholls (13-17) got on the board early, posting six runs in the top of the first on four base-on-balls and three hits.

Chris Murrill (Mobile, Ala./Alabama Southern CC) and Kulbeth drew walks to lead off the game. Josh Swenson (Applevalley, Minn./North Iowa Area CC) singled to center, bringing Murrill around and Kulbeth and Swenson both scored later in the inning on double to right center by Tyler Minto (Mobile, Ala./Alabama Southern CC).

With the bases loaded, Murrill made his second trip to the plate, drawing another walk and plating Minto for Nicholls' fifth run of the inning. The Colonels added a sixth, taking advantage of a Jaguar error.

The Colonels plated another in the second, while the Jaguars scored a run in each the first and second innings, for a 7-2 score in favor of Nicholls after two complete.

South Alabama (12-18) posted two in the fifth on a double down the leftfield line by Zach Grichor that brought Lance Heisler and Derek O'Reilly around and cut Nicholls' lead to 7-4.

The Jaguars put two more on the board in the sixth, scoring a pair of unearned runs on two errors by the Colonels.

Nicholls added insurance in the seventh when Steven Gauthe (Belle Rose, La./Copiah-Lincoln CC) and Murrill were each hit by a pitch and scored on a pair of singles from Kulbeth and Swenson, extending the lead to 9-6 for the Colonels.

The Colonels will host Central Arkansas for a three-game Southland Conference series, beginning Thursday night at 6 p.m. at Ray E. Didier Field. The Colonels and Bears will play Thursday, Friday and Saturday to accomodate the Easter holiday.

######