Box Score and Play-by-Play

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Nicholls State University baseball team (8-13, 1-7 Southland Conference) battled back from a six-run deficit with a five-run sixth inning.  However, it wasn't enough as the Colonels fell to the first place Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (17-7, 7-1 Southland) by a final of 10-7 on Saturday afternoon.

The Lumberjacks struck first with a three-run first inning.  SFA scored three runs on just one hit in the first inning by taking advantage of a pair of walks and a Nicholls error.

The Colonels answered in the top of the second, plating a pair of unearned runs as senior catcher Jason Dennis drove in senior right fielder Scott Moseley and junior second baseman Austin Flores brought home junior left fielder Michael LeGrange with a two-out RBI single up the middle to reduce the Lumberjack lead to 3-2.

However, SFA expanded its lead with one more in the second, three in the fourth and one in the fifth to take an 8-2 lead.

After being held off the scoreboard for the third, fourth and fifth innings, the Colonels got back into the game with a five-run sixth.  Nicholls strung together four hits and took advantage of two walks and an SFA error to plate five runs.  RBI singles by Dennis and senior shortstop Chase Jaramillo and run-scoring doubles by Flores and junior designated hitter Jeremy Hill were the biggest blows as Nicholls reduced the SFA advantage to 8-7 after six frames.

However, after a scoreless seventh, the Lumberjacks added two runs in the eighth to take a 10-7 lead.  The Colonels threatened in the top of the ninth as junior first baseman Blake Bergeron reached on a one-out error and Moseley followed with a single to right field.  However, SFA reliever Jason West came on and retired the first two batters he faced in relief to turn the Colonels away with the tying run at the plate and preserve the win for the Lumberjacks.

After the Colonels won the series opener on Friday night, the Lumberjacks' victory evens the series at one game apiece.  The two conference rivals will conclude the series on Sunday with first pitch of the rubber match of the three-game set scheduled for 1 p.m.