Box Score and Play-by-Play

RUSTON, La. -  After giving up a pair of runearned uns in the bottom of the first, the Nicholls State University baseball team (1-1) battled back and threatened late by putting the leadoff man aboard in each of the final two innings, but the Louisiana Tech (2-0) pitching staff was able to pitch out of the jam both times and hang on for a 4-2 win.

The Colonels were led by junior outfielder Jeremy Hill, who went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, and juniors Blake Bergeron and Mace Krol who each had a hit and an RBI.  However, three Bulldog pitchers combined to limit Nicholls to two runs (one earned) on seven hits and one walk.

Nicholls starter Patrick Shreve delivered 5.0 innings and limited the Bulldogs to a pair of unearned runs on just one hit and three walks.  However, those unearned runs came in the bottom of the first, staking La Tech to an early 2-0 lead and leaving Nicholls to battle from an early deficit.

The Colonels broke through against La Tech as Hill reached on a two-out single, advanced to second on a wild pitch and came home to score on an RBI single by Bergeron to make it 2-1.  After both teams traded zeroes in the fifth, Shreve handed things off to the Nicholls bullpen.  Unfortunatley, Colonel reliever Michael Baxter was greeted by a lead off double and an RBI single in the sixth as La Tech went back up 3-1 in the sixth.

The Colonels got that run back in their next turn at bat as Hill delivered a one-out single, advanced to second on a fielding error by the Bulldogs and came around to score on an RBI double by Krol.  However, Bergeron was thrown out at third and a ground out ended the Nicholls rally with the Colonels trailing 3-2.

La Tech then pushed its lead back to two as a solo homer off Nicholls reliever Corey Poche made it 4-2.  The homer was the lone blemish on the ledger for Poche, who limited the Bulldogs to one run on five hits and a walk while striking out a pair in 3.0 innings of relief.

Nicholls tried to get back into the game in the eighth as junior outfielder Bear Comer reached on an error with one out and advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches.  However, a strikeout and a groundout ended the threat.  The Colonels threatened again in the top of the ninth as junior infielder Beau Faulk led off with a base hit, but was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double.  The La Tech bullpen retired the next two batters to end the threat.

The Colonels will conclude their time at the 2011 Louisiana Tech Classic on Sunday with a noon first pitch against Southern Illinois on the final day of the season opening four-team tournament.