THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University baseball team trailed through the first seven innings of play before scoring three quick runs to capture a come-from-behind win over New Orleans and clinch a postseason spot in the series-opener at Ray E. Didier Field.
 
The Colonels (30-16-1, 15-10 SLC) picked up their 30^th victory in dramatic fashion, keeping things close before exploding in the eighth inning. Friday's performance extends Nicholls' winning streak to a season-long six games and marks the first time Nicholls earned back-to-back 30-win seasons since 1992-93.
 
The Dirty Red won off the field as well, teaming up with the Thibodaux Regional Medical Center and auctioning off game-worn pink uniforms to raise money for the Komen Bayou Region Race for the Cure. All totaled, the squad raised nearly $3,000 towards the fight against breast cancer.
 
The Colonels got off to a rough start, surrendering an unearned run in a two-error second inning. Jonathan Santana and Preston Marsh reached on back-to-back fielding miscues and Santana eventually came home on a ground out to give the Privateers (14-34, 3-22) a 1-0 lead.
 
Nicholls answered in the fourth, scoring a run to tie the ballgame. Seth Stevens singled through the right side, took to second on a ground out, advanced third on a balk and scored on a Christian Correa single through the left side.
 
New Orleans punched back in a controversial fifth inning, scoring a run to grab a 2-1 advantage. Samuel Capielano singled to center and advanced on consecutive sacrifice bunts. A wild pitch snuck past Correa behind the plate and Capielano made a mad dash for home. Correa fielded the ball and fired it to Ryan Deemes, who turned and appeared to make the tag at home for the final out of the inning, but Capielano was ruled safe on a delayed call.
 
The Colonels responded in the bottom of the frame, tying things up at two runs apiece. Justin Holt led off with a single through the middle, before advancing on a sacrifice bunt from Darius Knight. On the play, Holt took second base and realized that third base had been left uncovered. Never breaking his stride, Holt rounded second and sprinted towards third, sliding in safely. The next batter, Kyle Reese, notched a sacrifice fly to center field, allowing Holt to score.
 
The Privateers regained the lead with a run in a wild eighth inning. Hezekiah Randolph doubled to left field and advanced to second on a fly out. After a pitching change, pinch hitter Cameron Hoffman singled through the middle, bringing Randolph in.
 
Nicholls fought back to take their first lead of the night in the bottom of the frame. Knight walked and advanced to second on a single to second by Reese. On the play, the Privateer second baseman fielded the ball before colliding with Knight in the base path, making an already difficult throw impossible. Tanner Vandevere subsequently laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving both runners up. The next batter, Stevens, was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. After a pitching change, Justin Smith singled to second base, scoring Knight. A late throw on the play sailed over the head of the UNO first baseman, allowing Reese to come home. Correa subsequently laid down a sacrifice bunt, scoring Stevens.
 
Deemes started for the Colonels, tossing 7 2/3 innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on only four hits with five strikeouts. Deemes carried a no-hitter through the first four innings of play. Stuart Holmes (3-1) earned the win, giving up three hits while fanning two batters through 1 1/3 innings of work.
 
Seth Laigast (0-2) took the loss, surrendering three runs (one earned) on one hit with a walk and a hit-by-pitch.
 
Correa led the offensive attack for Nicholls, going 1-for-3 and driving in two runs. Reese extended his hitting streak to 14 games with another monster effort, batting 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
 
Capielano paced New Orleans offensively with a 1-for-4 night, a run and an RBI. Hoffman finished 1-for-1 with an RBI.
 
Game two is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday in New Orleans with game three scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday in Thibodaux. Both matchups will be broadcast live on KTIB 640 AM.
 
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