Final Stats THIBODAUX, La. – Senior Taylor Byrd allowed just three hits in eight shutout innings in his Ray E. Didier Field finale and the Colonels pounded out 13 hits as the Nicholls State University baseball team stayed in contention for the Southland Conference regular season title with a 6-0 victory over McNeese State Thursday night.
 
With the win, Nicholls improved to 30-24 on the year and 19-9 in conference. With Sam Houston's win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi tonight, the Colonels would need to sweep McNeese and have Sam Houston lose one of its final two games in order to get a share of the title. The Colonels are in a three-way tie for second with Corpus and Northwestern State, and all three teams trail Sam Houston by one game. The victory also gave Nicholls its first 30-win season since 1993 and secures its first winning season since 2002.
 
The Colonel seniors shined on Thursday night, led by Byrd who notched his eighth win of the year. The left-hander struck out four batters in the victory and retired McNeese (28-24, 17-11) in order three times. Byrd did not allow a hit through the first three innings before giving up two-out single in the fourth. Stuart Holmes pitched an inning out of the bullpen, allowing a single and struck out one.
 
Despite the Colonels recording double-digit hits, only six players tallied hits, but all six had at least two. David Zorn went 3-for-4 with an RBI while seniors Philip Lyons, Leo Vargas, Keith Cormier and Tyler Duplantis finished with two each. Christian Correa also chipped in with two hits and drove in a run.
 
It didn't take long for Nicholls to take the lead as the Colonels took advantage of a first-inning error by McNeese's starting pitcher Kaleb Fontenot (5-2). Lyons led off the frame with a single up the gut and moved over to third after two groundouts. On a routine grounder to the right side, Fontenot covered first and dropped the ball on the putout, allowing Lyons to score for a 1-0 lead.
 
In the third, Nicholls used three singles to double its lead. Vargas and Cormier led off the inning with base knocks before Correa found a seam through the left single to drive in Vargas.
 
The Colonels then blew the game open in the sixth as another error by Fontenot proved costly. Duplantis singled to start the inning and Zorn put down a sacrifice bunt attempt, but Fontenot elected to go to second and threw the ball past the bag. With one out, Vargas singled to left scoring Duplantis, but Clay Payne threw a perfect strike from left field to gun down Zorn at home. With the extra out, Cormier crushed a double to right field, driving in two for a 5-0 lead.
 
Zorn capped the scoring for Nicholls with a base hit to center in the seventh, chasing home pinch-runner Justin Holt. McNeese would get a hit each in the final two frames, but were unable to avoid the shutout.
 
For McNeese, Fontenot lasted six innings, surrendering one earned run on 11 hits and struck out five. Reed Gordy was responsible for half of the Cowboys' offense, finishing 2-for-3.
 
Before Friday's game, Nicholls will honor its 2014 Senior Class. Friday will also be Bark in the Park, with all fans encouraged to bring their dogs to the field. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.