Final Stats THIBODAUX, La. – Looking to rebound after a frustrating weekend, the Nicholls State University baseball team used a five-run sixth inning to take the lead for good and poured it on with seven in the eighth to defeat the New Orleans Privateers 14-4 Tuesday night in Thibodaux.

Nicholls (14-12) starting pitcher Grant Borne struck out a season-high nine batters in the game, but ran into trouble in the fifth and would end up getting the no decision after pitching just 4.2 innings giving up four runs on six hits walking four. Zach Thiac (2-1) had a tough spot to get out of, walking the first batter allowing a run to score from the inherited runners, but would get out of the inning allowing nothing else and pitching the next 3.2 innings allowing just three hits in the win.

Five Colonels ended up with two hits on the night out of the 12 the team produced, with Philip Lyons driving in a game-high four RBI, followed by Keith Cormier, Tyler Duplantis, and Seth Stevens with the others. Nicholls only had two hits for extra bases on the night, getting a double from Leo Vargas and a triple from Duplantis, which kick started the scoring onslaught in the sixth.

The Privateers (4-22) used six pitchers on Tuesday, but it was Stephen Potter (0-1) taking the loss after giving up the first three runs allowing the Colonels to come back and take the lead for the third time on the night, after starter Daniel Martinez pitched the first four innings giving up just two runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Garrett Manning got tattooed the worst, giving up seven runs on the three hits, walking three of the batters in the seventh facing just eight batters in his third of an inning.

Nicholls took advantage of the multiple errors by the New Orleans staff, as six different Colonels were hit on the night, proving costly when adding in the six wild pitches that advanced multiple runners into scoring position.

After a fly out to open the first, Vargas doubled down the left field line, with it taking just one swing of the bat from Lyons to drive in the shortstop on a single out to left to put the Colonels up 1-0. Lyons advanced all the way to third after a wild pitch and a groundout, but a strikeout ended the Nicholls inning.

New Orleans tied the game in the top of the second, using three singles and a walk to knot the game at 1-1, and could have done more damage if not for a stellar defensive play getting out the lead runner on a 7-5-6 put out after a single to put two outs on the board, as Borne struck out the last batter to end the inning.

After getting hit to open the Nicholls fourth, Duplantis laced a hard single down the left field line advancing Adam Seal to second putting two on with one out. After a wild pitch advanced the two to second and third, Stevens hit a sacrifice fly to deep left field scoring Seal to give Nicholls a 2-1 advantage for the only run of the inning.

For the second time in the game, a batter advanced to first after striking out on a wild pitch and it spelled doom for Borne as he walked the next two batters to load the bases, then gave up a two-RBI single to Privateer catcher Brian Dixon to put UNO up 3-2 in the fifth. Thiac came on after Borne hit the next batter loading the bases, as Thiac walked a run in to make it 4-2, before a ball got away from catcher Chase Garrett, but stayed close enough to get back to Thiac at the plate to get the runner charging home for the out to end the frame.

Nicholls came back in the next inning with Richard getting walked in the opening at bat prompting the change to Potter. Ahead in the count, Potter hit Vargas on the elbow to put two on still with no outs in the inning. A fielder's choice by Lyons forced out Vargas at second putting runners on the corners with one out, with the second baseman stealing second. A pop out for the second out of the inning pushed the Colonels to the brink, with a swinging strikeout ending the inning.

Duplantis hit his first triple of the season in the bottom of the sixth, drilling a shot to right center and was followed by a single by Stevens to score bringing the Colonels within one at 4-3. A sacrifice bunt by Garrett advanced Stevens to second for the first out, as Mike Barba got hit square on the back to put two on and prompt the pitching change to Seth Laigast. A wild pitch advanced the two to second and third with a walk to Richard loading the bases. Another walk plated the game-tying the game at four, with Lyons hitting a single to left center scoring Barba and Richard to give Nicholls the lead up 6-4.

Another change to Alex Smith for the Privateers proved fruitless, as Cormier took the first pitch he saw into right field to score Vargas and advance Lyons to third making it a 7-4 game. Two pop ups ended the five-run inning for the Colonels.

Arguably the biggest play of the night came with runners at the corners with no outs in the top of the eighth, as two hits had the Privateers going looking to score, but a shallow pop fly caught by Richard in center was close enough for him to throw out the runner tagging from third at the plate for the double play to put two quick outs on the board. A swinging strikeout ended the inning leaving UNO off of the board.

A wild inning for the Colonels produced seven runs on just three hits, as UNO opened with a new pitcher and used two in the inning after walking four and hitting one, as Vargas, Cormier and Cody Tillotson in the designated hitter spot had the hits, extending the lead for good as McCoy came on and got the last three batters in order to close the game.

Nicholls returns to Southland Conference play on Thursday night, taking on Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond for the first of a home-away-home series against the Lions.