NATCHITOCHES, La. – The Nicholls State University baseball team took a 1-0 lead over Northwestern State in the third inning before thunderstorms forced the game to end prematurely at C.C Stroud Field on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Colonels (34-17-1, 18-11 SLC) actually took a 2-0 lead in the seventh after Seth Stevens doubled down the right field line and came home on a Justin Smith double to left center. With no outs and Smith on second, Nicholls looked to be in position to increase their lead over the Demons (30-21, 20-8 SLC) but a lightning delay resulted in a stoppage of play and the contest was eventually called as torrential downpours resulted in unplayable field conditions.
 
Because play was suspended in the middle of the seventh, the game reverted to the last complete inning, per NCAA rules.
 
The victory for Nicholls, coupled with McNeese State's 2-1 series loss to Central Arkansas and Sam Houston State's extra-inning loss to Lamar, means that the Colonels will enter the Southland Conference Tournament as the No. 3 seed and face No. 6 UCA. The Colonels and Bear will battle at 9 a.m. on Wednesday in the opening bout of the Southland Conference Tournament in Sugar Land, Texas.
 
The only official run for the Colonels on Saturday came in the third inning after David Zorn walked, advanced to second on a Joey Morales sacrifice bunt and came home when Justin Holt singled to left field.
 
Grant Borne (6-4) earned the win, allowing just one hit through two innings on the mound. Marc Frazier received his first save of the season, tossing two strikeouts and holding Northwestern State to just one hit through four innings of work.
 
Josh Oller (9-2) took the loss, surrendering a run on two hits while fanning two batters through three innings on the hill.
 
Holt led Nicholls at the plate with a 1-for-3 day and an RBI. Stevens and Smith both hit 1-for-2, and Morales went 1-for-1 in the win.
 
Caleb Dugas and David Fry were the only two Demons to register a hit the Demons.
 
Every game of the 2015 Southland Conference Baseball Tournament will be carried live by ESPN3. The event runs May 20-23 at Constellation Field, home of the Atlantic League's Sugar Land Skeeters.
 
Visit geauxcolonels.com for live stats, video and the most up-to-date information on Nicholls baseball.