Final Stats THIBODAUX, La. – Trailing by two runs since the start of the game, the Nicholls State University baseball team cut the deficit in half in the ninth with the tying run at third against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, but the Islanders were able to hold on and defeat the Colonels 2-1 Sunday afternoon in Thibodaux.

Islanders (19-12, 6-3) first baseman Brad Porras hit a soft, two-RBI single through the middle scoring two runs in the first inning and it was all the visitors would need as the Colonels (15-18, 1-8 SLC) and A&M-Corpus Christi each tallied six hits on the day. Of Nicholls' six hits, Keith Cormier and Brandon Jackson combined for four of them, with Leo Vargas and Seth Stevens having the other two.

Save for that very first inning, Taylor Byrd (4-3) had a strong day on the mound going 7.1 innings allowing both runs with four walks and six strikeouts. Byrd retired 11 consecutive batters during the game, but was eventually pulled midway through the eighth for Jordan McCoy after a walk and throwing error put the runner in scoring position. The senior reliever made his 19th appearance of the season and after a walk to open his day retired the next two to get out of that inning and the ninth to finish with two walks and two strikeouts.

One strike away from hurling a complete-game shutout, A&M-Corpus Christi's starting pitcher Matt Danton (3-1) pitched 8.2 innings allowing all six hits with an unearned run, no walks and five strikeouts. Danton retired Nicholls batters in order in five of the nine innings, as Jacob Dorris (8) earned his second save in as many days coming on to get the final batter of the game to strike out.

Two five-pitch walks to lead off the game spelled doom for Byrd early, as two on consecutive singles with one out on the board scored two runs for the Islanders to go up 2-0 before grounding into the inning-ending double play.

Things would have gotten much worse in the fourth inning if not for a fantastic outfield assist from Cormier in right, throwing out the lead runner at home to keep the Islanders off of the board. A&M-Corpus Christi still was able to get runners to second and third but was unable to get anything to cross the plate in the frame.

Nicholls finally got something going in the bottom of the seventh, as Vargas got plunked on the leg to open the inning. A single by Cormier through the right side and bunt single by Jackson loaded the bases with no outs. But just like the weekend and the conference season as a whole, an infield popup and 1-2-3 double play ended the best chance the Colonels had to score and make a game of it late.

The Colonels got two runners on after a single by Vargas and error on a fielder's choice to allow Cormier to reach first. That error proved to be costly as after a strikeout Stevens singled through the right side of the infield to score the unearned run to cut the deficit to one, moving Cormier to third on the play. It was only the second time all game Nichols had a runner in scoring position, but with runners at the corners and pitching change to Dorris, a swinging strikeout ended the game clinching the sweep for the Islanders.

Nicholls will be back in action on Tuesday night, traveling to face the South Alabama Jaguars a 6:30 p.m. at Stanky Field in Mobile.