Final Stats CONWAY, Ark. – Hoping to break out of its current conference slump, the Nicholls State University baseball team rallied to cut a 5-1 deficit to just one late against Central Arkansas, but the Colonels were unable to break through falling to the Bears 5-4 Friday night in Conway.

Nicholls (16-19, 1-9 SLC) had just three hits through the first five innings, finishing the game with just six as the Colonels went down in order in four of the nine innings. To the contrary, UCA (25-8, 5-5) had ten, with six being for extra bases.

After sitting out all of the Sunday game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and the South Alabama game, Matt Richard made his return to the lineup on Friday and produced going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, followed by Mike Barba who went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Three of Nicholls' four runs were unearned with UCA having two errors leading to Colonel scores, with Philip Lyons and Brandon Jackson driving in the only RBI on the night.

Nicholls starter Mike Suk (1-4) walked just one batter in the game while striking out four, but the Central Arkansas batters didn't make it easy as he lasted just 6.2 innings allowing all five runs on ten hits. Marc Picciola came to get out of that frame and after a wild pitch struck out the final batter to get out of the inning. The junior retired the side in the eighth, allowing no hits in his 1.1 innings on the mound.

Central Arkansas had four doubles and got back-to-back home runs from Jonathan Davis and Scott Zimmerle in the sixth to push the Bears on top for good. Davis went 3-for-4 with a double and home run for UCA, including driving one in and scoring once.

After UCA jumped out to a 5-1 lead, the Colonels didn't quit and got three runs in the top of the eighth to pull within one run. Back-to-back singles by Barba and Richard gave Nicholls life as the two advanced to second and third on a wild pitch. After a pitching change, the Bears' second error of the night allowed the two to score to make it 5-2 with Vargas at second. The shortstop eventually moved to third after a wild pitch, eventually scoring on a sacrifice fly by Jackson to make it 5-4.

Richard was also involved in the first score of the night for Nicholls, tying the game at 1-1 after he opened the sixth inning with a single to short. After stealing second, the outfielder advanced to third on a wild pitch and crossed the plate on a fielding error after a line drive shot to first base from Lyons.

Game two of the series is set for 4 p.m. tomorrow at Bears Stadium. Kory Delange will get the start and go up against UCA's Jeffery Enloe.