Final Stats Final Stats

THIBODAUX, La. – Sam Houston used a complete game one-hitter from lefthander Caleb Smith to defeat the Nicholls State University baseball team, 2-1, on Sunday afternoon at Ray E. Didier Field, claiming the Southland Conference series, two games to one.

Matt Richard accounted for the only hit for Nicholls (11-9, 3-3), coming on a single to rightcenter in the opening frame. Richard also drove in the lone run for the Colonels, plating David Zorn on a groundout in the sixth inning.

Sam Houston (11-8, 4-2) scored a run in the first and third inning and it would be all Smith needed as he cruised to his first complete game of the season. The Bearkats finished with 10 hits on the day, led by three each from Colt Atwood and Anthony Azar.

Colonel starter Mike Wisecarver (0-3) lasted a season-high 7.1 innings, giving up two runs on 10 hits while fanning three. Brad Delatte came out of the bullpen, tossing 1.2 innings of hitless work with one strikeout.

Wisecarver's counterpart, Smith, frustrated the Colonels all game, striking out five batters while walking three. The Bearkats gave their starter a 1-0 lead in their first at-bat after Azar smacked a RBI single to right.

The Colonels threatened in the bottom half of the first, when Philip Lyons was hit by a pitch with one out following Richard's base hit. However, the Bearkats escaped the inning with a 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Beau Faulk.

Sam Houston made it 2-0 in the third on a wild pitch, and both pitching staffs held the opposition scoreless over the next three innings. In the Colonel sixth, Zorn drew his second walk of the day to lead off the frame. A botched pickoff moved him over to third base, leading to a RBI groundout by Richard for the lone Colonel run.

Smith retired in Colonels in order in the seventh and eighth innings before issuing a one-out walk to Richard in ninth, but went on to get the next two outs, leading the Bearkats to a victory in the rubbermatch.

The Colonels will be back in action on Wednesday, hosting the UNO Privateers in the last game of their in-season series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.