HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The Nicholls State University baseball team had no answers for Sam Houston State on Friday afternoon, dropping consecutive games in a Friday doubleheader at Don Sanders Stadium.
The Colonels (11-10-1, 3-5 SLC) fell 2-1 in the series-opener and
Grant Borne took the loss despite throwing a complete game with seven strikeouts and just one earned run. The Bearkats (12-12, 6-2 SLC) exploded in game two, running away with a 6-1 victory.
GAME 1
Sam Houston jumped on top early, scoring a run in the first inning. Bryce Johnson singled up the middle, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, took third on a wild pitch and came home when Travis Lee reached on an error.
Nicholls was in position to tie the ballgame in the fifth after
Joey Morales notched his first career triple. Morales tried to steal home on a wild pitch, but was ruled out by home plate umpire Jett Minton.
After a scoreless sixth inning, the Colonels successfully tied the game in the seventh.
Justin Smith notched his first double of the season and come home on a
Tanner Vandevere single to center.
The Bearkats fought back in the eighth, loading the bases for their second time in the contest, but were unable to recapture the lead.
Nicholls threatened to break the 1-1 tie in the ninth when
Kyle Reese walked and advanced to second on a
Christian Correa sacrifice bunt. But after a J. Smith walk, Sam Houston retired the next two batters consecutively.
In the bottom of the frame, the Bearkats took advantage of a walk, an error and a pair of singles to win the ballgame in walk-off fashion. With two outs, Miles Manning singled to center, sending pinch runner Wyatt Powell home for the game-winning score.
Lefty
Grant Borne (1-3) took the loss, allowing just four hits in his second complete game of the season.
Right-hander Alex Bisacca (2-1) earned the win, tossing the final two scoreless, hitless innings, while fanning two batters.
Morales led the Colonels at the plate with a 2-for-3 outing. Vandevere hit 2-for-4 with an RBI and J. Smith was 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Zach Smith, Johnson and Manning each had 1-for-2 offensive efforts in the victory. Johnson and Powell both scored a run, while Manning and Lee each registered an RBI for Sam Houston.
GAME 2
The walk-off win by the Bearkats in the series-opener set the tone for game two. An energized Sam Houston squad overwhelmed Nicholls in the first inning. After retiring three straight Colonels on defense, the Bearkats caught fire offensively. Sam Houston turned four singles, two walks and a hit batter into a 4-0 lead as the Bearkats batted around in the first inning.
Sam Houston added two runs in the second.
Nicholls erased the shutout in the fourth inning when
Darius Knight reached on a bunt single, advanced on a hit by Reese and came home on a sacrifice fly from J. Smith.
Neither team would score for the remainder of the contest as the Bearkats cruised to victory.
Righty
Marc Frazier (1-4) took the loss, surrendering six runs on ten hits with three walks, three strikeouts and a hit batter in 4 2/3 innings of work.
Zach Thiac,
Cole Stapler and
Jason McDonald combined to allow two hits and fan two batters in 3 1/3 innings.
Southpaw Logan Boyd (3-2) earned the win, one unearned run on six hits with five strikeouts through eight innings on the hill. Sam Odom tossed the final scoreless inning for Sam Houston.
Vandevere was 2-for-4 to lead the Colonels at the plate. J. Smith was credited with an RBI in the loss.
Rahm finished 3-for-3 with two RBIs to pace the Bearkats offensively.
Nicholls and Sam Houston will take a day off in an attempt to avoid inclement weather on Saturday. The teams will play their series finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday, before the Colonels head down I10 for a matchup with Louisiana-Lafayette at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. Both games will be broadcast live in KNSU 91.5 FM.
Visit geauxcolonels.com for live stats, video and the most up-to-date information on Nicholls baseball.
