Final Stats THIBODAUX, La. – After scoring five runs in the second inning, the Nicholls State University baseball team seemed poised to cruise to a series-clinching victory over the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks Saturday, but the wheels fell off for the team as they gave up 11 unanswered runs, including a nine run fifth and dropped a wild 16-8 contest at Ray E. Didier Field.

Nicholls (13-11, 1-1 SLC) starting pitcher Kory Delange (4-2) ran into big trouble in the fifth, as after allowing a single and getting an out, walked three consecutive batters to plate one more run before getting pulled for Grant Borne with the bases full. A balk allowed another run to score making it 5-4, before a double down the left field line scored the two left on base to give SFA (10-12, 1-1) the lead for the first time all day 6-5.

Suk ended up taking the loss, allowing six runs, five earned, with four walks and four strikeouts in 4.1 innings, as neither Borne nor Marc Picciola garnered an out in their relief of Delange leading to Kelby Langson who got the final two outs of the inning with SFA going up big after scoring nine in the frame. Of the pitching staff's 15 walks in the game, nine came in the fifth which led to the Lumberjacks going up six at that point 11-5.

The woes of the pitching staff negated what was a stellar day offensively for the Colonels, as the club pounded out their eight runs on 12 hits, led by designated hitter Keith Cormier who went 4-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored, Tyler Duplantis' 3-for-4 afternoon scoring twice and Matt Richard's three-RBI day on 2-of-3 at the plate with a triple.

Another sore spot for Nicholls came defensively, as the team had three errors over the course of the game, with two coming in the fifth to continue the SFA charge after having just one the day before.

It did not seem as if Lumberjacks starter Kyle Cross (3-2) would last more than a few pitches after giving up the five runs to Nicholls in the second, but he managed to go 5.1 innings in the win, giving up seven runs with three walks and five strikeouts, as Garrett Powell (1) earned the save after closing the final three innings giving up nothing with three strikeouts.

The SFA bats were silent early, but steadily began to pick up producing 11 hits on the afternoon, as three players finished the day with multiple RBI backed by shortstop Hunter Dozier's four on 2-for-4 hitting at the plate. No Lumberjack had more than two hits in the game, but did finish with seven players earning one and four earning two.

Richard laced a single to open the Nicholls first, stealing second to get an early Colonel runner in scoring position. However, three consecutive putouts ended the threat stranding the senior at second base.

In the very next inning, Cormier drilled a single through the right side in the opening at bat of the frame and got a great jump while on base stealing second. After Mike Barba was hit on the wrist, Duplantis placed a bunt perfectly down the line for an infield single loading the bases with no outs. On a 1-2 pitch, Cody Dufrene hit a high flying shot in foul territory out in right field giving Cormier just enough time to slide in safely for the first run of the game.

It only got worse in the inning for the Lumberjacks as Zorn began a chain reaction of hits with a double to left field scoring Barba, followed by a two-RBI triple by Richard to score him and Duplantis to put Nicholls up 4-0. On the next play, Leo Vargas hit a grounder to short scoring Richard to put the team up 5-0, with the hit parade ending with a single to right field by Philip Lyons who would eventually get caught trying to steal second to end the inning.

The Lumberjacks plated a run in the third after the elements looked like they were getting to Delange on the mound a bit. After getting the first two out, a hit batter and two wild pitches advanced the runner all the way to third before an error at first base allowed the score making the game 5-1 Nicholls. Fortunately, Delange would get the next batter to ground out to end the inning without further damage.

A lead-off triple in the fourth allowed another Lumberjack run to score after a single to right field put the score at 5-2 Colonels with just one out.

The Colonels loaded the bases in the sixth, using three walks in that inning on SFA pitching, as Cormier laced his fourth hit of the game through the right side scoring Richard and Seth Stevens who came in to pinch hit for Vargas. It was the only runs of the inning for the Colonels as a pop fly ended the inning pulling the Colonels within four, 11-7.

SFA came right back in the next inning and got those runs back powered by two hits to go back up six, 13-7. It became 13-8 in the bottom half as Richard hit a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Duplantis who singled to open the inning.

A bases-clearing triple by Dozier extended the Lumberjack lead to 16-8 in the eighth, the tenth of the game for the visitors.

Nicholls and SFA will complete the series on Sunday, with first pitch set for 1 p.m. at Ray E. Didier Field.