LAKE CHARLES, La. – The Nicholls State University baseball team allowed six runs to score in the first three innings as the Colonels were handed a 9-2 loss at McNeese Friday afternoon at Joe Miller Park.
Cole Stapler (2-3) had a rough outing in the loss, surrendering eight earned runs on nine hits in 5.0 innings. McNeese (16-6, 7-0 SLC) finished with 13 after adding four more off of the Colonel bullpen.
Nicholls (13-9, 5-2 SLC) had seven hits in the loss, with most of the offense coming from
Ethan Valdez and
Alex Tucker, who each had two hits.
Gavin Wehby drove in Valdez in the first on a RBI groundout, but McNeese went on to score five in the first two innings for the early lead.
The Cowboys took the lead with a two-run double in the first and Dustin Duhon made it 5-1 with a three-run homer in the second. The teams traded runs in the third, with the Colonels scoring one on a Tucker single, before McNeese put the game away with three unanswered runs.
Matt Gallier added a solo home run for the Cowboys in the seventh, and it was more than enough support for starter Austin Sanders. The lefty went 7.0 innings and struck out nine.
UP NEXT
Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Saturday at 3 p.m.
