HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The Nicholls State University baseball team appeared to be outmatched against Sam Houston State in its doubleheader on Friday, but after a day off to avoid inclement weather, the team came alive on Sunday to steal a 4-3 series-finale win in Texas.
The Colonels (11-10-1, 4-5 SLC) were only able to score two runs through 18 innings on Friday against the Bearkats (12-12, 6-3 SLC), but wasted no time on Sunday, taking a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
Gavin Wehby led off with a single to center field and advanced to third on a
Kyle Reese single to right. After a
Marc Frazier walk,
Christian Correa reached on a fielder's choice that sent Wehby home for the first run of the ballgame. In the next at bat,
Seth Stevens crushed a monster three-run home run to clear the bases.
Justin Smith followed with a single to right field, forcing a Sam Houston pitching change to stop the bleeding.
Nicholls held onto its four-run advantage through the second inning, but the Bearkats punched back in the third. Sam Houston turned three singles and a double into three runs and brought the score to 4-3.
The Colonels maintained their slim lead over the next few innings, but the Bearkats provided a scare in the eighth. Sam Houston put two on and forced a pitching change before loading the bases, but Nicholls escaped the inning unscathed, completing a 6-4-3 double play to end the frame.
The Bearkats weren't finished and threatened again in the ninth, but the Colonels turned their third-straight inning-ending double play to escape with the win.
Righty
Justin Sinibaldi (4-1) tossed five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with two strikeouts. In relief, right-hander
Ryan Deemes held Sam Houston to just one hit and fanned three batters through two innings of work. Left
Stuart Holmes closed out the victory, throwing the final two innings en route to his eighth save of the year.
Righty Ryan Brinley (1-3) took the loss, surrendering four runs on four hits with a walk through 2/3 innings. Southpaw Hayden Nixen tossed the remaining 8 1/3 innings on the mound, holding Nicholls to just two hits with three strikeouts.
Stevens paced the Colonels offensively with a three-run home run. Correa registered the only other RBI for Nicholls. Wehby was 1-for-2 with a run scored in the win.
Colt Atwood and Zach Smith each hit 3-fo-5 to lead Sam Houston offensively.
The Colonels will head down I10 for a matchup with Louisiana-Lafayette at 6 p.m. on Wednesday before taking on Southeastern Louisiana in a home-away-home three-game series beginning Friday at 6 p.m. in Thibodaux. Wednesday's contest 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.
