Box Score and Play-by-Play

THIBODAUX - The Nicholls State University baseball team (25-27, 14-18 Southland Conference) kept its postseason chances alive for the second straight day as the Colonels notched an 8-3 win over in-state rival McNeese State (26-29, 14-18 Southland Conference) on Friday night at Ray E. Didier Field, bringing the Colonels one step closer to consecutive Southland Conference Tournament appearances for the first time in school history.

In order to secure a spot in the eight-team Southland Conference Tournament field, the Colonels will need to complete a three-game sweep of the Cowboys with a win on Sunday while also getting some help.  A Nicholls win coupled with a Lamar loss to Stephen F. Austin on Saturday would clinch a postseason berth for the Colonels.  However, the Colonels may wake up tomorrow in control of their own postseason destiny.

Should No. 25 ranked and regular season champion Texas State defeat Texas-Arlington, in a game that finished after deadline due to a rain delay that pushed first pitch back to 8 p.m., on Friday, the Colonels would clinch their second consecutive postseason apperance with a win over McNeese on Saturday.

The Colonels piled up 16 hits, tying the second highest single game total by the squad this season, to plate eight runs on Friday night.  For the second consecutive day, all nine Nicholls starters put their names in the hit column with seven different Colonels recording multi-hit outings.  The top six of the Nicholls batting order combined to go 11-for-26, and senior right fielder Scott Moseley led the way with a 2-for-4 day with a pair of runs scored and an RBI.

With the Nicholls lineup humming along, junior left handed starter Patrick Shreve had all the run support he needed.  Shreve retired 16 of the first 19 batters he faced and didn't allow multiple base runners in any inning until the sixth.  The Cowboys finally broke through with a pair of runs in the sixth, and one more in the eighth.  However, by the time the Cowboys pushed their third run of the night across the plate, the Colonel lineup had scored eight runs in support of Shreve.  The Colonel southpaw retired the side in order in the top of the ninth to secure his first career complete game victory.

The Colonels will look to complete the sweep of the Cowboys with a 1 p.m. first pitch against McNeese in the regular season finale on Saturday at Ray E. Didier Field.  Prior to the game, the Colonels will celebrate Senior Day.  Nicholls will honor its eight-member senior class with a pregame ceremony prior to the contest.