THIBODAUX, La. – Senior Justin Sinibaldi tossed a career-high 11 strikeouts through seven scoreless innings on the mound and the Nicholls State University baseball team outhit Central Arkansas, 9-4, as the Colonels cruised to an 8-2 victory on "90s Night at The Did".
 
After a scoreless frame, Trevor Flynn felt some "good vibrations" and crushed a second-inning double to left center that scored Gavin Wehby. Nicholls (15-20, 6-10 SLC) "got jiggy with it" and took a 2-0 lead over the Bears (14-18, 5-8 SLC) in the fourth after Joey Morales came home on a Wehby sac fly.
 
Head Coach Seth Thibodeaux said "bye bye bye" and was ejected from the game in the bottom of the fifth after disagreeing with a pair of questionable calls on slides into third base.
 
The Colonels were "livin la vida loca" in the seventh after scoring five runs to secure a 7-0 advantage. Nicholls "spiced up its life" by loading the bases, before pinch hitter Ross McWhorter drew a walk to force in a run. After a pitching change, Ethan Valdez reached on a fielder's choice and Kyle Reese said "you can't touch this", scoring on an error by the third baseman. Quade Smith didn't "think twice" and subsequently came home on a wild pitch, before Kyle Knauth singled to center, scoring McWhorter and Valdez.
 
Central Arkansas chipped in a pair of runs in the eighth, but Nicholls said, "this is how we do it" and drew a fly out to end the inning.
 
The Colonels put the contest on "ice ice baby" in the bottom of the frame, adding a security run after Reese scored on a Smith single up the middle.
 
Reese led the Nicholls offense with two runs on a 2-for-4 night in his first game back since being sidelined with a gruesome injury on March 18. Flynn and Smith each finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run, while Knauth hit 1-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. Wehby went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, while McWhorter registered an RBI and a run in the win.
 
Brandon Montalvo paced the Bears offense with a 2-for-4 night.
 
Sinibaldi (4-3) picked up the win, allowing just two hits in a dominant performance on the hill. Daniel Goff surrendered two runs on two hits through an inning of relief, before Jake Smith closed out the contest with three punch-outs in the final inning.
 
Connor Gillmore (2-6) took the loss, giving up six runs on six hits through 6 1/3 innings of work.
 
Game two is set for 6 p.m. on Saturday, with first pitch for the series finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
 
PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
 
Nicholls
Saturday: RHP Cole Stapler (2-5, 4.41 ERA, 29 SO, 49.0 IP)
Sunday: LHP Alex Ernestine (2-1, 9.18 ERA, 10 SO, 16.2 IP)
 
Central Arkansas
Saturday: RHP Cody Davenport (2-2, 3.62 ERA, 37 SO, 49.2 IP)
Sunday: RHP Riley Echols (1-1, 4.39 ERA, 14 SO, 26.2 IP)
 
Following this weekend's action, the Colonels will face a road challenge against Louisiana-Lafayette at 6 p.m. on April 19. Nicholls will then fly to Lincoln for a three-game series against Nebraska, beginning at 6:35 p.m. on April 22.
 
For the most up-to-date information on Nicholls baseball, visit geauxcolonels.com.