THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University baseball team topped Southern University, 8-4, Wednesday night at Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field.
The Colonels (23-27) were led offensively by sophomore
Dillon Belle, who went 3-for-4 with a grand slam. Senior outfielders
Lee Clark and
Chet Niehaus produced two RBIs each.
On the mound, senior lefty
Alex Ernestine improved to 4-4, allowing one hit in one inning. He earned the win because he was the pitcher of record and it was predetermined that three or more pitchers would be used. Graduate student
Christian Bahlinger fired the final five innings, recording eight strikeouts and a walk en route to his sixth save of the season.
The Jaguars (9-33) received two of their four hits from first baseman John Pope. John Guienze (0-6) was handed the loss as he gave up seven runs (five earned) in three innings.
Nicholls scored in the first inning when Niehaus ripped a one-out double down the right-field line that scored fellow senior
Joey Morales. With the bases loaded in the third, Clark sent the first pitch he saw to right field for a two-RBI single, increasing the advantage to 3-0. Belle hit his grand slam two batters later.
Southern tallied four runs in the next half-inning, highlighted by a two-RBI double to left-center by Ashanti Wheatley, before Bahlinger shut the door from the fifth on.
The Colonels return to action in a pivotal three-game series against New Orleans this weekend. Nicholls (11-13 SLC) is currently ranked eighth in the Southland Conference standings while the Privateers (10-14 SLC) sit ninth.
Get your season or single-game tickets now by calling
985-448-4790 or visiting
nichollstickets.com. Please click
here for more information on joining the 2018 Nicholls Baseball Coaches Committee. Visit
geauxcolonels.com for the most up-to-date information on Nicholls baseball. Be sure to follow the team on Twitter
@Nicholls_BASE.