Final Stats NEW ORLEANS, La. – Trailing by six runs at two different junctions of the game, the Nicholls State University Baseball team rallied to pull within one of Tulane Tuesday night at Turchin Stadium, but of the eight Colonel pitchers used on the night, five gave up at least two runs or less in the first five innings in an 8-7 loss to the Green Wave.

After being held to just two hits through the first two innings, Nicholls (23-26) amassed ten through the next eight to at least give themselves a chance to make a game of it late, but Tulane (25-24) scored two runs in each of the first three innings to pull ahead early and have enough to hold off the Colonels late.

Taylor Byrd (5-5) was tagged with the loss after giving up the opening two runs in the start on two hits with two strikeouts, as Zach Thiac, Chris Miller and Jordan McCoy were the only Nicholls pitchers to hold Tulane scoreless for the final three innings to give Nicholls a chance going into the final third of the game.

Tyler Duplantis got his second three-hit game in his last three contests going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, as Brandon Jackson, Philip Lyons and Mike Barba had two each. Barba and Cody Dufrene had two RBI each, while Leo Vargas, Jackson and Lyons each drove in one.

Tulane used five pitchers on Tuesday, and after the first three innings by starter Randy LeBlanc (4-3) the staff began to struggle as Andrew Reeves pitched the next two giving up five runs on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts, with Kyle McKenzie giving up the next two in 1.1 innings to put the pressure on Brandy Wilson and Ian Gibaut (11) to close out the game.

Tulane wasted little time getting on the board, earning two runs on two hits in the bottom of the first, as a walk and a hit batter continued the inning before the Colonels could escape trailing by two. The lead grew to four as the Green Wave got three more hits in the bottom of the second inning. The Greenies scored three more runs in the third, earning multiple hits for the third consecutive inning to go up 6-0.

Nicholls finally broke through in the top of the fourth inning, as a Cormier double down the right field line was the first extra base hit of the night and just second of the game for the club. Another double, this time from Jackson down the left field line scored Cormier to make it a 6-1 game. Jackson stole third easily, with an infield single by Duplantis putting runners at the corners with just one out. Lyons singled to left scoring Jackson to make it 6-2 Tulane. An error at second base loaded the bases kept the inning going, but Dufrene grounded into the inning-ending double play.

Another Tulane run in the bottom of the fourth pushed the lead back to five for the Green Wave to go up 7-2, scoring on an unearned run after a throwing error by Jacob Rodrigue after a double with the run eventually scoring on a sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the fifth the Green Wave got two hits for the fourth time on the night to go up 8-2.

Down 0-2 in the count, Jackson was eventually walked to kick start the sixth. A single up the middle by Duplantis and single to left by Lyons loaded the bases and prompted a Tulane pitching change. Barba then ripped a double down the left field line scoring two to make it 8-4 Green Wave. Dufrene hit a deep fly ball to center field for the sacrifice fly scoring Lyons and advancing Barba to third to make it 8-5. Zorn got hit on the leg while pinch hitter Seth Stevens was walked to re-load the bases with one out, as Vargas singled through the left side making it 8-6. Unfortunately, Cormier grounded into the rally-killing double play in his at bat to end the inning.

After finally keeping the Green Wave off of the board in the sixth, Duplantis earned his third hit of the game with a double over the left fielders head with one out on the board. A walk to Lyons put two on, as Barba looked what seemed to be the equalizing shot that was caught in deep left field to keep the runners at bay. But in the very next at bat, Dufrene doubled to the very same place and had it fall fair scoring Duplantis but wasn't deep enough to score Lyons as he was caught well before reaching home for the final out of the inning.

Down to their final outs, Cormier was walked to open the ninth and moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt. Duplantis was plunked on the hand to take first to put two on with one out, but it wasn't meant to be as Lyons hit into the game-ending double play, the fifth of the game that ended an inning.

Nicholls will return home this weekend for its final home series of the year against the Northwestern State Demons this Friday in Thibodaux.