Final Stats 1 | Final Stats 2 BEAUMONT, Texas - The Nicholls State University baseball team (13-12, 5-1 SLC) plated three clutch runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth to snag a 6-4 victory over Lamar University (14-11, 1-5 SLC) in game one of Saturday's doubleheader at Vincent-Beck Stadium, and a three-run blast in the first inning of game two by redshirt sophomore Marc Frazier ignited the Colonel bats for an 8-6 win and 3-0 sweep of the Cardinals.

In game one, Nicholls found itself down 2-0 after five innings. The Colonels pulled within one after junior Justin Smith scored on an errant Cardinal throw in the sixth inning. Timely hitting from Nicholls and mistakes by Lamar in the eighth would give the Colonels their first lead of the game. Senior Keith Cormier came home on a walk by senior Brandon Jackson before junior Christian Correa blasted a clutch single, driving home redshirt senior Tyler Duplantis and sophomore Cole Wilson.

The Cardinals would answer in the bottom of the eighth on a triple by junior Jacoby Middleton, scoring redshirt senior Jude Vidrine. Middleton would then take home on a wild pitch, tying the game at four heading into the final bell.

Nicholls matched Lamar blow for blow, answering again in the ninth on a double by junior Charles Morton, sending Frazier and Cormier home, and taking a 6-4 lead which the Colonels would not surrender.

Leading from the mound for the Colonels was southpaw sophomore Grant Borne, who threw 7 1/3 innings while allowing four runs on six hits with eight strikeouts. Right-handed senior Marc Picciola (1-2) earned the win, completely shutting down the Cardinal bats in the final 1 2/3 innings, surrendering no hits and fanning three.

On the bump for Lamar was junior Chase Angelle, throwing 7 1/3 innings and giving up three runs (one earned) with two strikeouts. Junior Danny Fernandez took over for Angelle and was tagged with the loss, giving up three earned runs in just 1 1/3 innings. Senior Lance Warren pitched the final 1/3 inning, facing just two batters and allowing one hit.

The Colonels were led at the plate by Cormier, who continued his hot streak, going 3-for-4 with two runs. Morton, Duplantis and redshirt junior David Zorn each chipped in two hits.

Junior Mason Salazar was the leading batter for Lamar, going 2-for-4 and scoring a run.

The nightcap was an offensive duel with the teams combining for 27 hits against 10 pitchers and Nicholls claiming an 8-2 victory.

Nicholls wasted no time taking an early lead off of a three-run blast by Frazier in the first inning, driving in Cormier and redshirt senior Leo Vargas. The bats of both teams would cool off over the next five innings before a pinch-hit single in the sixth by sophomore Seth Stevens scored Zorn.

Lamar would answer in the bottom of the sixth with a run of their own as Salazar doubled to right center, bringing junior Reed Seeley home.

The Colonels added security runs in the seventh when Duplantis singled up the middle, driving in Cormier and Vargas, before Zorn sent Morton home on a ground out RBI. Cormier singled to right field in the eighth, scoring junior Darius Knight, and putting Nicholls up 8-1.

A late rally by the Cardinals kept things interesting in the ninth when Middleton singled through the right side with bases loaded, bringing junior Justin Eckols in for the score.  Junior Kyle Markum followed Middleton's hit with a single of his own, scoring senior Sam Bumpers. Seeley singled to left center, bringing both Middleton and Vidrine home and senior Jake Sutton singled as well, driving home Markum.

Nicholls threw three pitchers over the final inning of play, but were finally able to put a stop to the Cardinal run and seal an 8-6 victory and series sweep.

Jackson (2-1) earned the win for the Colonels, throwing seven innings while allowing just one run and nine hits with four strikeouts. A committee of pitchers closed out the game for Nicholls, combining to allow five runs on five hits in the final two innings with Picciola registering his fourth save of the season.

Getting the starting nod on the mound for Lamar was senior righty J.T. Autrey (2-1), who suffered the loss while throwing four innings and allowing three runs on six hits with three strikeouts. The Cardinals employed four pitchers over the final five innings, giving up five runs on five hits and fanning three.

Nicholls will travel to Mobile to face South Alabama (12-9) in a non-conference matchup at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.