LINCOLN, Nebr. – Maybe it was Cole Stapler's dominance on the mound, Alex Shermer's return from injury, Justin Holts return to the leadoff spot or just the beautiful weather, but the Nicholls State University baseball team put together one of its most complete performances of the year in a 7-1 win over Nebraska in front of nearly 6,000 strong at Haymarket Park on Saturday.
 
The Big Red scored first on "Bark in the Park Day" but it was all Dirty Red the rest of the afternoon. Even the dogs fell silent as the Colonels (16-23, 7-11 SLC) ran off seven unanswered runs to secure the victory and tie the series at one game apiece.
 
Stapler (3-5) picked up the win in the first complete game of his career, while holding the Cornhuskers (24-15, 7-5 Big Ten) to just one run on seven hits. He retired the leadoff batter in eight of nine innings and held Nebraska to a .225 average. All of the Cornhusker's hits were singles.
 
While Stapler was the story of the afternoon, it was a complete team effort by the Colonels that produced the win. Every Nicholls batter registered at least one hit, except Joey Morales who contributed a pair of key sacrifice bunts.
 
Shermer was outstanding in his first action since being sidelined for nearly three weeks with an injury. He finished 3-for-5 on the day, while scoring one run and driving in another to lead the Colonels at the plate. Kyle Knauth also hit 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run. Holt answered the bell with a 1-for-3 outing, two RBIs and two runs scored, while Alex Tucker finished 1-for-3 with a run and a pair of RBIs.
 
Jake Schleppenback paced the Nebraska offense with a 2-for-2 performance and an RBI.
 
Jake McSteen (2-2) took the loss for the Cornhuskers, surrendering five runs on eight hits through five innings of work.
 
Nebraska grabbed a 1-0 advantage in the second inning.
 
Nicholls quickly answered with a two-run third to take their first lead of the series. Holt singled up the middle, sending both Tucker and Dylan Manichia home.
 
An inning later, a Tucker ground out allowed Shermer to score, giving the Colonels a 3-1 advantage.
 
Gavin Wehby singled through the left side in the fifth, bringing Holt in.
 
In the sixth, Tucker registered his second RBI ground out, sending Kyle Reese home.
 
Nicholls added a pair of security runs in the ninth. Knauth doubled to center field, allowing Holt to score, before a Shermer double to left center brought Knauth in for the final run of the game.
 
The Colonels and Cornhuskers will close out the series at 1:05 p.m. on Sunday.
 
PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATION
 
Nicholls
Sunday: LHP Alex Ernestine (2-2, 8.59 ERA, 13 SO, 22.0 IP)
 
Nebraska
Sunday: LHP Jake Meyers (1-1, 2.70 ERA, 9 SO, 10 IP)
 
Following this weekend's action the Colonels return home for a three-game Southland Conference series against McNeese State, beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 29. Nicholls will then head to Texas for a three-game league series at Houston Baptist, beginning May 6.
 
For the most up-to-date information on Nicholls baseball, visit geauxcolonels.com.