Final Stats NATCHITOCHES, La. – Late-game heroics from the Nicholls State University baseball team weren't enough to hold back Northwestern State as the Colonels fell 6-5 on a walk-off single in the 10^th inning on Friday night.
 
The Colonels (15-17, 7-3 SLC) took the early lead in the first inning when Philip Lyons singled through the right side, advanced to second on a Leo Vargas bunt, took third on a throwing error and scored on a sacrifice fly from Keith Cormier. Vargas notched the second run of the frame after Charles Morton blasted a single to right center.
 
The Demons (17-12, 7-3 SLC) answered in the second when Garrett Logan grounded out to third, scoring Bret Underwood, and tied the game after Edwin Gomez singled through the right side, sending Regan Kaufman home.
 
Outstanding defensive play was the story of the third and fourth innings. An over-the-shoulder basket catch by Darius Knight robbed Northwestern State of an extra-base hit in the third, before a diving catch and throw from the knees by Gomez cheated Nicholls of a run in the top of the fourth. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning, David Zorn fielded a ground ball, threw the runner out at home and caught the return throw from Christian Correa at first for the 3-2-3 double play.
 
The Colonels regained the lead in the seventh when Zorn doubled to left center, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Knight and came home on line drive from Lyons that whizzed over the head of the third baseman.
 
Northwestern fought back in the bottom of the inning, tying the game on a bases-loaded single from Chase Daughdrill that knocked in Gomez. The Demons added two more behind a single from Kaughman that scored Dugas and an infield error by Vargas that allowed Cort Brinson to come home.
 
Nicholls made a ninth-inning push, scoring two clutch runs to send the game into extra innings. Brandon Jackson singled to third base, advanced to second on a passed ball and took third on a wild pitch before being driven in on a groundout to short from Correa. With two outs, down by one, pinch hitter Seth Stevens notched a single to left field and was driven in by a Lyons double, blasted into left center.
 
In the 10^th inning, an error from Vargas allowed C.J. Webster to reach first, before advancing on a groundout from Gomez and scoring the game-winner after a single from Dugas rolled through the middle, just beyond the outstretched glove of a diving Lyons.
 
Colonel lefty Taylor Byrd got the start on the mound, allowing two runs through six innings with four strikeouts and two walks. Marc Picciola (1-3) took the loss, throwing 1 2/3 innings with one unearned run on one hit.
 
Steven Spann (7-3) was awarded the win for the Northwestern, surrendering two runs on four hits with one strikeout over the final two innings.
 
Leading Nicholls at the plate was Lyons, who went 3-for-4 with one run and two RBIs. Justin Smith was 2-for-3 and David Zorn went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
 
Underwood was the leading batter for the Demons, going 2-for-3 and scoring a run. Gomez, Daughdrill, and Kaufman also notched two hits apiece.
 
The Colonels and Demons are now tied for second place in the Southland Conference after McNeese State won both games in its doubleheader on Friday night. Nicholls and Northwestern State will play a doubleheader to decide the series victor tomorrow beginning at noon. Both games will be broadcast on KTIB 640 AM.