Final Stats BATON ROUGE, La. – The Nicholls State University baseball team added an offensive explosion to their consistently stingy defense to earn a 13-2 mercy rule victory over Southern University in seven innings on Wednesday night.
 
The Colonels jumped to an early lead, scoring 11 of their 13 runs in the first three innings before coasting to victory behind another strong outing on the mound by Ryan Deemes and the Nicholls pitching staff.
 
Philip Lyons led off the game with a walk and advanced to third on a Leo Vargas single through the right side. Keith Cormier knocked a line drive through the middle to bring Lyons in and advance Vargas to second. After a Seth Stevens walk, Tyler Duplantis reached on an error by short stop Phillip Williams, scoring Vargas. A wild pitch on the next at bat sent Cormier home.
 
The Colonels picked up right where they left off in the second. Justin Holt and Lyons were consecutively walked before a Vargas bunt single loaded the bases. Cormier grounded out to the short stop, advancing the runners and bringing Holt home. Stevens then grounded out to second, bringing Lyons in and advancing Vargas to third. Duplantis chipped a single through the left side to score Vargas before Southern could stop the bleeding.
 
Christian Correa singled to left field and Justin Holt walked to begin the third inning, prompting a pitching change for the Jaguars; but even a new pitcher couldn't slow Nicholls offensively. Lyons was quickly walked before a wild pitch allowed the runners to advance and Correa to score. Vargas notched a sac fly to centerfield, bringing Holt home, before a Cormier triple into the right field corner allowed Lyons to score. Stevens grounded out to second to knock Cormier in. Charles Morton then doubled to deep left field before Duplantis blasted a nearly identical double to left, scoring Morton to take an 11-0 lead.
 
Nicholls caught their breath offensively in the fourth inning before adding a pair of runs in the fifth on a Justin Smith single to left center that brought Duplantis and Morton home.
 
Southern took advantage of a wild pitch and a fielding error in the sixth to score Elliot Jones and D.J. Wallace.
 
The game ended in "mercy-rule" fashion after a scoreless seventh inning. NCAA rules state that if a team is ahead by at least 10 runs after seven innings, the game ends.
 
Deemes (2-2) earned the win, tossing three innings while allowing just one hit with three strikeouts and two walks. In normal circumstances Deemes would have to pitch at least five innings to be eligible for the win, but because of the shortened game he only needed three. The Colonel pitching staff as a whole allowed just two runs (none earned) on three hits while fanning five batters and walking six.
 
Ryan Flynn (0-4) took the loss, tossing just two innings while surrendering eight runs (six earned) with six walks and two strikeouts.
 
The Colonels had a number of productive batters, led by Cormier who had a 3-for-4 night with three RBIs and two runs scored. Duplantis was also 3-for-4 with three RBIs while scoring once. Vargas was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs.
 
Only two Jaguar batters registered a hit on the night. Jones was 1-for-1 and scored a run while Williams went 2-for-3.
 
Nicholls entered the game third in the nation in double plays and added another to bring their total to 48 on the year.
 
The Colonels will take on Southland Conference rival the University of New Orleans over the weekend in a home-away-home series. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday at Ray E. Didier Field. Game two will begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday in New Orleans. The final game of the series will be at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Ray E. Didier Field. All three games will by broadcast on KTIB 640 AM.