Final Stats THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University baseball team finally played a game at Ray E. Didier Field in its last home series of the season, and on senior day got a big performance by Matt Richard and Mike Barba at the plate and in the field, and behind a four-hit shutout from starter Brandon Jackson claimed the series with a 3-0 win over Northwestern State in Thibodaux.

With the win, Nicholls (25-27, 8-16 SLC) remains a game behind McNeese State who defeated Oral Roberts earlier in the day on Sunday, setting up a critical series on the road next week in order to make the conference tournament.

Mike Barba was the only Nicholls player to earn multiple hits on the day, earning two of Nicholls six total with a double going 2-for-3 with a double and run scored, while Matt Richard struck the big blow with a two-RBI double in the fifth to give Nicholls the first two runs of the game on his only hit of the day to give Nicholls the lead it would never relinquish.

Jackson (3-1) earned his second complete game shutout in conference play with a commanding performance on the mound allowing just four hits and one runner to third for the entire length of the game against Northwestern State (15-37, 4-20). The junior did not have a strikeout and walked three, getting help defensively with two diving catches by Richard in the outfield and on the infield by Tyler Duplantis and Seth Stevens, among others.

The Demons used five pitchers on the day, as the first two held Nicholls to just two hits with two strikeouts in four innings, but Andrew Adams (0-7) wound up getting the loss after giving up two runs on two hits with a walk and a strikeout, with Cameron Brewer giving up the final run in the eighth to make it 3-0.

With just four hits between the teams through two and a half innings, Barba doubled to left center with one out in the bottom of the third. After a deep fly out, Leo Vargas was hit on the leg to put two on for the first time all day for Nicholls with two outs, but another fly ball to the outfield ended the inning.

After the third pitching change of the day for the Demons, Stevens was walked to put a runner on to begin the top of the fifth. After a strikeout, Barba put down a perfectly placed bunt single to advance Stevens to second and put two runners on. It proved costly as Richard doubled down the left field line driving in both to give Nicholls the first runs of the game, and the lead, up 2-0.

Consecutive walks to Demon players in the top of the seventh with no outs put pressure on Jackson, but a failed sacrifice bunt rolled to the pitcher and was able to get out the lead runner at third for the first out. A deep fly ball to Barba in right field advanced the runner at second to put runners at the corners with two outs, with a fly out to center ending the threat.

Stevens singled through the left side to open the bottom of the seventh, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cody Dufrene, and to third on a wild pitch. Unfortunately, the first baseman would be left stranded. But in the bottom of the eighth, Duplantis singled through the left side with Keith Cormier on second to give Nicholls an insurance run to go up 3-0.

Before the game, Nicholls recognized its ten-member senior class who played in their final home games at Nicholls in Barba, Michael Baxter, Kory Delange, Dufrene, Ray Eureste, Kelby Langston, Jordan McCoy, Richard, Adam Seal and Mike Suk.

The Colonels will be back in action this Thursday, closing out the regular season with a three-game road series against the Lamar Cardinals.