Final Stats LAKE CHARLES, La. – After a low scoring affair on Friday, the Nicholls baseball team and McNeese State Cowboys had another close game on Saturday as the home team used an error in the fourth and three hits in the fifth to score both of its runs in the game to defeat Nicholls 2-0.

The Colonels (13-10, 4-4) weren't able to capitalize with runners on base, leaving 13 stranded over the course of the game to the Cowboys (8-12, 5-3), nine left in scoring position.

Pat Shreve (2-4) took the loss for the second consecutive outing, lasting six innings giving up two runs, one earned, with seven hits and four strikeouts. Brad Delatte came on in relief and pitched the final two scoreless innings.

Austin Flores had two hits to lead the Colonels, both doubles, as Mike Barba, Philip Lyons, Beau Faulk and Michael LeGrange each had one. 

The Colonels got hits in each of the first three frames, and in that third inning Barba singled through the left side with only one out. With Lyons at the plate Barba got caught stealing second for the second out, but Lyons kept the inning alive with a single to right field. Stealing second, the errant throw by the catcher allowed Lyons to reach third and Faulk followed that up with a walk putting runners at the corners. However, the Colonels couldn't capitalize leaving both on base.

In the bottom of the third, McNeese had two singles to put the Colonels in a tough spot with no outs. A sacrifice bunt advanced the two runners to second and third with one out, but a chopper to Faulk sent the runner at third home, as Faulk got the out at home to keep a run off the board for the second out. Shreve then got the final batter to strike out looking to end the inning.

Flores doubled for the second time Saturday in the fourth inning and advanced to third for the second time after a fielder's choice by Adam Seal. But with two outs again in the inning, Nicholls couldn't drive in the run and closed out the inning on a fly ball.

McNeese struck first in the bottom of the fourth, as the leadoff batter got on after an error and like clockwork McNeese advanced the runner on the next two at bats and then eventually scored on a single up the middle giving the Cowboys a 1-0 lead.

In the fifth Barba got on after an error by the McNeese shortstop, advancing to second on a balk by the pitcher. After a walk to Faulk with two outs, Blake Bergron flew out to right field to end another inning with Colonel runners left on base.

A ground-rule double allowed another McNeese run to cross the plate in the fifth to put the Cowboys up 2-0, but the Colonels escaped further damage as McNeese left the bases loaded to end the inning.

LeGrange singled to left field to begin the sixth inning, followed by a Flores fly out for the first out. Seal walked to put two runners on with just one out. But Evan Weibel grounded out for the double play to end the inning.

Matt Richard was hit in the back to lead off the seventh and then stole his 15th base of the year to advance to second. Barba and Lyons each grounded out in order to advance Richard to third, and followed with two hit batters in Faulk and Bergeron. But again with the bases loaded, LeGrange struck out swinging to end the inning.

In the eighth Seal walked to reach base, and in a pinch hitting situation, Jeremy Hill laced a single through the left side to put runners at first and second with one out. Richard hit into the inning-ending 4-6-3 double play to close out the inning.

The Colonels left their 13th runner in scoring position as Faulk was walked to get on first after another fly out to lead off the inning. After reaching second on a wild pitch, the Colonels would go down in order in the next two batters to end the game.

The series finale is set for Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Cowboy Diamond.