Final Stats THIBODAUX, La. – Leading 8-0 after six innings, the Nicholls State University baseball team allowed nine unanswered runs in the final three frames, including a five-run eighth, as the Jackson State Tigers handed the Colonels a 9-8 loss Friday night at Ray E. Didier Field.

After being held to three hits against Colonel starter Taylor Byrd, the Tigers (6-3) roughed up Nicholls' bullpen for seven runs on seven hits. Byrd struck out seven and left the game with an 8-2 lead after 6.2 innings, but for the first time this season, the relief pitchers were unable to hold the lead.

Closer Marc Picciola (0-1) came into the eighth with one out with an 8-6 lead, looking for his third save of the season. After giving up a run in the eighth, a RBI double by Alvin Franklin in the ninth evened the score at 8-8. Wyatt Sutton then found a hole through the left side and Franklin scored from second.

In the bottom half, Philip Lyons, who had three hits and two RBIs for the Colonels, drew a two-out walk to put the tying run on base. But Sergio Parra forced a soft liner to second off the bat of Marc Frazier to complete the comeback victory.

Serbron Mackey (1-0) picked up the win for JSU, tossing 2.2 shutout innings. For the Colonels, Adam Falcon allowed three runs (two earned) in 0.2 innings and Jason McDonald gave up two runs on two hits.

Nicholls had 11 hits, getting three from Lyons and Brandon Jackson. Jackson had a bunt single in the second which led to the Colonels' first run. Jackson State had two errors in the frame, and finished the game with six.

The Colonels took advantage of three of the Tiger errors in the fourth and fifth innings to score three runs in each frame. In the fourth, Charles Morton laced a double down the right field line to bring home a run, and Justin Holt made it 3-0 on a RBI single through the left side. Leo Vargas, who saw his seven-game hitting streak snapped, capped the fourth with a RBI on a groundout.

David Zorn made the score 5-0 in the fifth with a single to right field, and Lyons brought home two with a sharply hit ball off of the center fielder's glove. Nicholls scored its final run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Keith Cormier, which was set up on a Tyler Duplantis leadoff double.

Byrd cruised through his first 20 outs before getting into a jam in the seventh. After a walk and an error, Jose Cruz hit a double to right center to plate JSU's first and second run of the game.

Jackson State finished with 10 hits, with five coming in its five-run eighth.

Nicholls and Jackson State will complete the four-game series with games on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon in Jackson, Miss. Both games will be broadcast on 91.5 KNSU.