Alex Tucker
Zachary Carlton
5
Nicholls NICH 7-6, 0-1 SLC
8
Winner Northwestern State NWST 5-8, 1-0 SLC
Nicholls NICH
7-6, 0-1 SLC
5
Final
8
Northwestern State NWST
5-8, 1-0 SLC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Nicholls NICH 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 5 12 1
Northwestern State NWST 1 1 0 1 5 0 0 0 X 8 11 1

W: Jones, Nathan (1-2) L: Stapler, Cole (1-2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Late rally falls short as Colonels drop SLC opener at NSU, 8-5

NATCHITOCHES, La. – After falling behind by seven runs, the Nicholls State University baseball team scored in each of the final three frames against Northwestern State, but it wasn't enough as the Colonels were defeated, 8-5, Friday night to open Southland Conference play.
 
The loss puts an end to the Colonels' three-game winning streak and drops their record to 7-6, 0-1 SLC. NSU upped its record to 5-8 and 1-0.
 
A five-run fifth gave the Demons an 8-1 lead before the Colonels made the late comeback. Nicholls scored one in the seventh, two in the eighth, and one in the ninth, but stranded a total of seven runners in the three innings.  The Colonels outhit NSU in the loss, 12-11, but finished with 13 runners left on base.
 
Alex Tucker led the offense with a 3-for-5 night, while Justin Holt and Troy Cahill added two hits each. The Colonels also drew a total of nine walks, with Holt leading the way with three to reach base all five times.
 
Reigning SLC Pitcher of the Week Cole Stapler suffered the loss, allowing eight earned runs on 11 hits in 4.2 innings. The Colonel bullpen held the Demons in check for the rest of the game as Kyle Craft, Bryan Taylor and Daniel Goff did not allow a hit in 3.1 innings.
 
NSU held a 3-1 lead after three , with the Colonels' lone run coming on a Tucker double in the second, before tagging Stapler with six hits in the fifth for an 8-1 advantage. Three of hits never left the infield, but a 2-run single to left by Tyler Smith delivered the biggest blow of the inning.
 
In the seventh, Nicholls scored on a bases loaded walk by Juan Givan with two down, but left the bags full after Lee Clark flied out to left. The next inning, the first three Colonels singled with Cahill driving in Holt to make it 8-3. Nicholls added another run on a sac fly by Chet Niehaus, but once again, two runners were left on base.
 
In the final inning, a Holt walk followed by a Tucker base hit set up Cahill for a sac fly, but it would be the only run to come across the plate.
 
Nathan Jones earned the win for NSU, allowing two earned runs on eight hits in 6.2 innings.
 
SCHEDULE UPDATE
Game 2 of the series on Saturday has been moved up to 11 a.m. due to rain in the forecast.