THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University baseball team held a two-run advantage in the ninth inning on Tuesday night, but three late runs allowed Louisiana-Lafayette to steal a 5-4 victory at Ray E. Didier Field.
The Colonels (10-15) were just one out away from a 4-2 win, but with bases loaded the Ragin' Cajuns (16-9) notched a two-run single to shallow center field. Nicholls overran the ball and the error allowed an additional run to score, giving Louisiana-Lafayette a lead it would not surrender.
The Cajuns scored first on Tuesday, taking advantage of a Colonel error to grab a 1-0 advantage.
Nicholls tied things up in the third when
Dylan Manichia came home on a ground out by
Quade Smith.
The Colonels scored a pair of fourth-inning runs to secure their first lead of the night.
Gavin Wehby drove
Alex Shermer in and a throwing error on the play allowed Wehby to take second.
Trevor Flynn subsequently singled up the middle, scoring Wehby.
In the fifth, a
Kyle Knauth single through the middle brought Smith home and gave Nicholls a 4-1 advantage.
Louisiana-Lafayette cut into the lead with a solo home run in the sixth and held the Colonels scoreless over the final four innings.
Smith went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run to pace Nicholls offensively. Flynn finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and Manichia hit 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Alex Tucker had a 2-for-4 outing and Shermer went 1-for-3 with a run. Wehby contributed an RBI and a run in the loss.
Stefan Trosclair led the Cajuns with a 2-for-4 night, an RBI and a run scored.
Robbie Petty (1-1) took the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits with five strikeouts through three innings on the mound.
Reagan Bazar (1-0) picked up the win, tossing one scoreless inning. Dylan Moore earned his sixth save, allowing just one hit with one strikeout over the final frame.
The Colonels will have an extremely quick turnaround, traveling to Biloxi, Miss. for a neutral site matchup against South Alabama at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Nicholls will then face an away-home-away series with Southeastern La., beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday in Hammond.
Probable Pitching Rotation (Nicholls vs. South Alabama) Nicholls: RHP Daniel Goff (0-1, 3.42 ERA, 14 SO, 23.2 IP) South Alabama: RHP Ryne Long (2-0, 0.82 ERA, 2 SO, 11 IP) For the most up-to-date information on Nicholls baseball, visit geauxcolonels.com.
