SUGAR LAND, Texas – After digging a deep hole over the first eight innings, the No. 3 seed Nicholls State University baseball team nearly completed a miraculous comeback in the ninth, but came up just short as the No. 6 seed Central Arkansas pulled off a 7-6 upset in the opening matchup of the Southland Conference Tournament.
Things looked bleak for the Colonels (34-18-1), trailing 7-2, as they entered the ninth inning. But rather than cede the victory to the Bears (28-22), Nicholls battled back, scoring four runs in the final frame to almost pull off a miracle. Ultimately it was mental miscues by the Colonels that cost them the victory as the team committed five errors, in addition to mistakes on the base paths.
Central Arkansas took advantage of an early error by Nicholls to score a run in the first inning.
The Colonels answered with a run in the second when
Seth Stevens doubled to left center, advanced on a
Justin Smith single and scored on an
Alex Tucker double down the leftfield line.
Nicholls fell behind, 2-1, in the fourth inning. The Colonels were lucky to escape with only one run allowed as the team committed an unfathomable four errors in the frame.
The Bears added a run in the sixth and Nicholls responded with a run in the seventh to bring the score to 3-2.
Central Arkansas stepped on the accelerator in the eighth and ninth innings, scoring a combined four runs to take a stranglehold on the contest.
The Colonels fought back in an ESPN Classic-worthy bottom ninth. Smith led off with a single to right center and advanced to third on a Tucker double down the right field line. After a pitching change,
David Zorn was hit by a pitch, loading the bases.
Christian Correa pinch hit for
Joey Morales and notched a two-RBI single up the middle. Zorn was thrown out in a bang-bang play as he attempted to advance from first to third, and the out would come back to bite Nicholls.
Byron Cobb entered as a pinch runner for Correa before
Justin Holt notched a single through the left side.
Darius Knight subsequently grounded out, advancing both runners. In the next at bat, a
Kyle Reese single to left field scored both Cobb and Holt and pulled the Colonels within a run.
Tanner Vandevere reached on an error and Reese advanced to third, putting runners at the corners for Stevens. The designated hitter caught hold of the second pitch he saw, but the line drive shot bounced directly into the glove of the Bears' first baseman, who tagged the bag and ended the game.
Grant Borne (6-5) took the loss, despite allowing just four hits with seven strikeouts through seven innings on the mound. Borne surrendered three runs (two earned) on the day. In relief,
Marc Frazier,
Stuart Holmes and
Robbie Petty combined for two innings of work, allowing four runs on seven hits while fanning two batters.
Connor Gilmore (8-3) earned the win, hurling eight innings and allowing four runs (three earned) on ten hits with four strikeouts. Bo Stitch received the save, allowing two runs on three hits in the final frame.
Tucker led the Nicholls offense, batting 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Reese finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Smith was 2-for-4 with a run and Correa hit 1-for-1 with two RBIs.
Logan Preston paced Central Arkansas offensively with a 2-for-4 day, two RBIs and a run scored.
The Colonels will play at 9 a.m. on Thursday, facing the loser of Wednesday's matchup between No. 2 Northwestern State and No. 7 Houston Baptist.
Every game of the 2015 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. KTIB 640 AM will broadcast each Colonel baseball game live.
Visit geauxcolonels.com for live stats, video and the most up-to-date information on Nicholls baseball.
