THIBODAUX, La. -- Powered by a quartet of elite pitching performances, the Nicholls State University baseball program (11-11, 8-3 SLC) rebounded from a narrow game one loss behind a decisive doubleheader sweep of Houston Baptist (4-18, 2-9 SLC) on Saturday afternoon, initially edging out the Huskies in a tight 2-1 contest before collecting a 5-4 walk-off victory in a 12 inning barn burner at Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field.

The limited offensive output throughout the pair of afternoon matchups worked in favor of the Red & Gray, as starters Trever Kilcrease (1-2) and Devin Desandro impressed behind a combined 13.0 total frames on the mound, setting down eight batters on strikes and containing the HBU attack to just five runs (three earned) on 12 hits. Notably, relievers Tyler Theriot, who collected his first save of the season in the top half of the twin bill, and Nico Saltaformaggio (2-0) doubled down on the solid outings of their predecessors, as the former gave up no runs on zero hits across 2.0 innings of work while the latter struck out five with just three hits given up for no runs during a 4.0 frame stretch to close out the day.
 
KEY STORYLINES & STATISTICS
-- With the doubleheader sweep, the Colonels push back to .500 (11-11) overall for the season along with a Southland-best 8-3 mark within league competition; meanwhile, Houston Baptist falls to a 4-18 record along with a 2-9 position in conference play.
-- Offensively, junior Dane Simon stepped up across the two-game stretch, posting the eventual game-winning two-RBI double midway through the first contest -- scored Wes Toups and JD Davis -- before plating an early run on an RBI groundout in the opening frame of the second matchup. Sophomore Austin Cain also came through in the clutch late in bottom half of the twin bill, shooting a single up the middle for a pair of RBIs to kickoff the Red & Gray's successful rally.
-- Notably, Toups earned acclaim as the evening's hero behind a well-taken at-bat to seal the game three victory, as the freshman transfer brushed off the pressure of two outs deep in the 12th inning and deftly accepted four consecutive balls with the bases loaded, notching the team's third walk-off victory of the season.
 
UP NEXT
The Colonels aim to collect their second overall series victory as the four-game HBU set wraps up Sunday afternoon, first pitch set for 2 p.m. at Didier Field.

STAY SOCIAL
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