METAIRIE, La. - The Nicholls State University baseball team was limited to a season-low three hits against Southern Miss and fell 5-0 Tuesday night in the Shrine on Airline.

Ethan Valdez, Adam Tarver, and Austin France each had singles for the Colonels, which dropped to 13-13 on the season. With the win, Southern Miss improved to 16-6 overall.

Parker White (2-3) was tagged with the loss, allowing three runs on five hits in 4.0 innings. Nick Heckman had a strong night out of the bullpen with three innings of hitless relief. Zach Autin also threw 1.1 innings without surrendering a hit after Peter Holland gave up two runs on two hits in the eighth.

Southern Miss had seven hits in the victory, led by a two-hit, two-RBI night from Bryant Bowen. Hunter Slater also had two RBIs, both coming on a double in the third for a 2-0 lead.

The Golden Eagles added another in the fourth on a sacrifice fly, and Bowen delivered the final two runs with a single to left center in the eighth.

Nicholls, which had 13 strikeouts in the setback, saw its first nine batters retired before Valdez singled to start the fourth. But a groundout double play off the bat of Dane Simon led to a quick frame for the Colonels.

It happened again in the eight after France led off with a base hit to left. Champ Davison walked to put two on with no outs, but J.C. Keys got Brady Bell to ground into a double play. In the ninth, Keys ended the game with three strikeouts.

ON DECK
The Colonels hit the road for a three-game series at Lamar, starting Friday, March 29. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.