Final Stats Nicholls-Southern Miss Box Score

THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls baseball team wanted to start 2012 on a good note and did that by defeating the No. 29 ranked Southern Miss Golden Eagles 5-4 Friday in Hattiesburg, winning its season opening game for the second consecutive year.

Nicholls (1-0) belted out 11 hits on the day, and after scoring first in the opening half of the game, plated four runs over the middle three innings to pull head of the Golden Eagles (0-1) for good behind the solid pitching of Seth Webster and Jordan McCoy.

Webster got the win for the Colonels and has won three straight dating back to last season, finishing the day scattering nine hits over 6.2 innings with four runs, three earned. Hitting the mound for the first time as a Colonel in his hometown, Jordan McCoy retired all seven batters he faced in his 2.1 innings of relief, garnering the save and preserving the Nicholls win.

The Colonels were paced at the plate by Michael LeGrange who went 3-for-5 at the plate with an RBI, Jeremy Hill's 2-for-4 afternoon with an RBI and run scored and Beau Faulk's 2-for-5 day with an RBI and run scored.

In the opening at bat of the 2012 Colonel season, Matt Richard doubled to right field to get the Colonel momentum up, and after a tough strikeout from Phil Lyons, Hill got his first hit and RBI of the year on a double to left, bringing in Richard to give the Colonels a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

The Golden Eagles were able to counter in the bottom half of the inning where a Connor Barron double down the left field line began a touch stretch for the Colonels as a throwing error by Austin Flores on a bunt got past Blake Bergeron at first base and allowed Barron to cross the plate to tie the game at 1. Flores would get quick redemption as another USM single put runners at first and third before a ground ball to Flores began a 5-4-3 double play turn, followed by a Webster strikeout closed the door on the inning for the Golden Eagles.

A hit batter and single up the middle were two of the first three at bats for the Golden Eagles in the bottom half of the second inning. An RBI line drive to center brought in another run for Southern Miss, and while getting the ball back in the Colonels did not check Joe Martin who was still left on base for the Golden Eagles and promptly stole second, then advanced to third on the errant throw by Webster. Barron's second single of the day brought in Martin before another line out to center field ended the inning with USM taking a 3-1 lead.

In the top of the fourth, Faulk and LeGrange each singled to lead off the Colonel inning, with a walk by Cody Dufrene loading the bases with only one out for Nicholls. Ray Eureste struck out, but the ball got past the Southern Miss catcher to advance all the runners safely on base, bringing in Faulk to make the score 3-2 Southern Miss. A Richard ground out closed the Nicholls at bat.

In the top of the fifth after a Lyons fly out, Hill belted his second single of the day to left center and was followed by Bergeron who reached base by catcher's interference. With Faulk at the plate, a belted ball through the right side scored Hill and put Bergeron on third. LeGrange followed that with a single of his own to bring in Bergeron and give the Colonels their first lead since the opening at bat at 4-3. Nicholls laced four hits in that inning to retake the lead.

Nicholls plated another run in the top of the sixth after a Richard walk, Lyons laid down a sacrifice bunt to get Richard in scoring position at second. After stealing third before a Hill walk, Bergeron grounded into a fielder's choice, but USM couldn't turn the double play and Richard scored giving Bergeron the RBI. After Bergeron stole second, Faulk struck out to end the inning.

Although the Golden Eagles would plate one more run in the home half of the seventh inning, McCoy shut the door when he relieved Webster in the middle of the second.

Game two in Hattiesburg is set for Saturday, with first pitch at 2 p.m. at Pete Taylor Park.