Final Stats CONWAY, Ark. – With a three-run lead and a chance to win its first Southland Conference series of the season, the Nicholls State University bats went quiet and the relief pitching fell apart in the final innings in a 7-6 loss to Central Arkansas Sunday afternoon in the finale at Bears Stadium.

When he exited the game, starter Taylor Byrd had a large lead and had given up just three runs, two earned, in five innings on just two hits as the Colonels (17-20, 2-10 SLC) were rolling, but after he left everything seemed to change as Kelby Langston was the only reliever to keep UCA (26-9, 6-6) off of the board with Marc Picciola and Jordan McCoy (1-3) combining to give up the final four runs on three hits with three walks and one strikeout.

On the day, however, Nicholls pitching walked nine batters to keep the Bears with runners on base throughout the game, as the defense had a complete breakdown after a relatively solid weekend with four errors.

The pitching spoiled what was an outstanding day for the Colonels at the plate, as the team outhit UCA 11-6 led by Matt Richard's 3-for-4 afternoon with two runs scored. Brandon Jackson and Tyler Duplantis each had two hits with Jackson driving in one run and scored once while Duplantis scored twice. Cody Dufrene was the only player with multiple RBI on the afternoon, driving in two on a double.

Nicholls struck the first blow in the opening inning, as Richard singled through the left side to put the Colonels on the board in the hit column, eventually moving over on a sacrifice bunt. After stealing third and an infield grounder that kept him at bay, the speedy outfielder finally scored as Jackson laced a shot down the left field line for a standup double to give Nicholls a 1-0 lead.

UCA tied the game in the bottom half of the frame on a sacrifice hit after three walks loaded the bases, but the Colonels couldn't wait to get back to the plate and opened the second with another hit, this coming in the form of a double to right center field by Duplantis. After a walk to Seth Stevens and a pop out, Mike Barba continued his hot streak at the plate doubling down the left field line to drive in Duplantis and push Stevens to third with the Colonels going up 2-1. After a walk to Richard loaded the bases, Leo Vargas drove in Stevens on a fielder's choice to go up 3-1.

The back-and-forth nature of the game continued as the Bears pulled within one getting an unearned run to cross the plate on a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2 in the second, but again Nicholls was up for the challenge as singles Jackson and Duplantis after a pitching change put two runners on with two outs in the third. With a tough challenge to try and make something happen, Dufrene drilled a double to left field scoring both to put the Colonels up 5-2.

After finally holding Central Arkansas scoreless in an inning, Nicholls plated its sixth run of the game as Richard garnered his second hit of the game to open the fourth, moving all the way to third after stealing second and advancing on a throwing error by the catcher. A sacrifice fly by Philip Lyons drove in Richard to put the Colonels up 6-2.

UCA got another run in the fifth as Kelby Langston came on in relief of Byrd in the sixth and got through the next two innings, allowing just one hit. The senior ran into some trouble in the seventh with runners at the corners, but a grounder to third ended the threat keeping the game at 6-3.

Marc Picciola entered in the eighth, and after getting the first out of the inning ran into a lot of trouble after a fielding error and hit batter put two on. A fly ball to center field put two outs on the board, but a single to left drove in one to make it 6-4 keeping runners at first and second. A walk loaded the bases and ended his outing with Jordan McCoy making an early appearance but getting the job done to move into the ninth with Nicholls still leading.

That eighth inning was the beginning of the end for Nicholls and McCoy as hit batter, walk and single loaded the bases in the ninth with no outs. Another walk brought in the first run of the inning to make it 6-5, followed by a strikeout for the first out. A sacrifice fly tied the game at 6-6 leaving two on with two outs and looking to head to extras. UCA brought in Doug Votolato to pinch hit and made it count singling to center field for the walk-off single giving the Bears the 7-6 win.

Nicholls will return home to take on the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns at 6:30 p.m. at Ray E. Didier Field.