THIBODAUX, La. -- Bolstered by a consistent pitching staff along with a series of clutch hitting performances, the Nicholls State University baseball program (7-7, 4-0 SLC) secured the team's first Southland sweep -- not to mention four-game win streak within league play -- of the past two years behind a series of tight victories over Stephen F. Austin (2-10, 0-4 SLC), outpacing the Lumberjacks by a combined five runs across a four-game weekend set Friday evening through Sunday afternoon at Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field.

In both squads' conference-opening matchup on Friday, the Colonels and Lumberjacks opted to get the majority of their offensive power out of the way for the entire weekend as the teams combined for more runs (14) than they would produce across the next three contests in total (11). The Red & Gray got their bats going early, picking up a four-run advantage through the first two frames, before SFA battled back with a one each in the third and fourth. Following back-to-back quiet innings, Nicholls went back on the attack with four insurance scores in the seventh, most of which proved necessary as the Lumberjacks notched four of their own to open the eighth before the Red & Gray bullpen sealed the 8-6 victory.

The Saturday doubleheader opened much slower than its predecessor, as the Colonels managed to find the game's first run late in the third for an early 1-0 advantage. SFA responded, however, with a pair in the fifth frame as the Lumberjacks locked up the team's first lead of the series thus far; the one-score edge, however, proved short-lived as Nicholls knotted the contest a half-inning later. Scoreless frames from the sixth through the ninth pushed the matchup into extras, and the Red & Gray took advantage quickly as senior Dillon Belle absorbed a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch en route to a walk-off 3-2 win.

The bottom half of the twin bill saw similar drama as, once again, top tier pitching containing the scoring to a minimum. Opposite the previous two games, Stephen F. Austin initially jumped out ahead, collecting one run in the fourth before the Colonels fought back in the sixth with a score of their own to tie up the contest. With extra innings looming once again, the shortened seven-inning contest came to a head late in the final frame, as a poorly-thrown ball on a two-out roller to third allowed junior Dane Simon to reach on an error, plating sophomore Xane Washington all the way from first for the game-winning score and a 2-1 victory.

Last, but certainly not least, the series finale found some early offense on both sides as the Lumberjacks initially grabbed one score in the second before the Red & Gray knotted things up with a run of their own to close the frame. Eventually, the winning score crossed home later in the seventh thanks to a hustle play from senior Greg Anderberg, as the catcher beat out the double-play throw to open the door for a Basiel Williams run, propelling the Colonels to the 2-1 win along with the perfect four-game series sweep.
 
KEY STORYLINES & STATISTICS
-- With the quartet of victories, the Colonels improve back to .500 (7-7) for the first time since the opening weekend while Stephen F. Austin falls to a 2-10 overall mark for the year.
-- On the mound, sophomore starter Chase Gearing (2-1) posted a solid 5.1 innings of work as he earned his second win of the season, surrendering two runs on six hits while setting down five on strikes during the series opener. Meanwhile, senior Beau Balado (1-0) took over for starter Trever Kilcrease early in the second matchup of the weekend, pushing through 5.2 frames en route to his first victory for the year with no runs allowed on just one hit. The final pair of contests fell to sophomore Tyler Theriot (2-1), as the southpaw reliever picked up back-to-back victories on a combined 3.1 innings on the mound, giving up just one hit with zero runs and two combined strikeouts.
-- Notably, junior Joe Taylor impressed during his pair of appearances in the opener and the finale, registering his third and fourth saves of the 2021 campaign behind 2.1 frames of work.
-- Offensively, Williams, Anderberg and Belle put together the most memorable performances of an overall team effort, posting four hits apiece with a joint five RBIs. Meanwhile, senior Alex Galy, freshman Wes Toups and Simon closed out the four-game set with solid numbers as well, collecting three hits each while combining for seven RBIs.
 
UP NEXT
With the Southland-opening series concluded, the Red & Gray close out the five-game home stand with a midweek contest against Louisiana, hosting the Ragin' Cajuns on Tuesday, Mar. 16 at Didier Field, first pitch slated for 6:30 p.m.

STAY SOCIAL
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