THIBODAUX, La. - The Nicholls State University baseball team notched its first win of the season as the Colonels took down Missouri, 9-8, Sunday afternoon on Ben Meyer Diamond at Didier Field.
In a back-and-forth battle, Missouri (2-1) took an 8-6 lead with three runs in the top of the seventh. But the Colonels (1-2) answered with three in the bottom half, scoring the game-winning run when
Wes Toups slid into home on an infield grounder.
Chase Gearing (1-0) retired the Tigers in order the next two innings, giving head coach
Mike Silva his first career victory.
Nicholls pounded out 11 hits in the victory with
Edgar Alvarez leading the way with two hits and three RBIs. Two of his RBIs in came in the first inning when he sent a 1-0 pitch over the right field wall for his first homer as a Colonel. XaneWashington also had two hits with a run-scoring double in the seventh, and Toups followed with his second hit of the day -- a triple down the third base line that tied the game at 8-8.
Gearing picked up the win in his first appearance of the season, throwing 3.0 innings with one earned run and two strikeouts.
Devin Desandro had a strong start on the mound, pitching 5.0 innings with three earned on six hits. He totaled four strikeouts, including one that left the bases loaded in the third to preserve a 6-3 lead.
With Nicholls leading 2-0 after one thanks to Alvarez's homer, the teams combined for seven runs in the second. Mizzoureceived a clutch two-out, 2-run single by Ross Lovich to take a 3-2 advantage. But in the bottom half, Nicholls had five hits to plate four runs. Parker Codduo started the scoring with an RBI single, and
Dane Simon and Alvarez followed with run-scoring base hits. The final run scored on a
Garrett Felix fielder's choice.
Mizzou answered with two runs in the fifth before to trim the deficit to 6-5. Then in the sixth, the Tigers had a promising start against Colonel reliever
Nick Heckman. After a single and a walk, Heckman got the next batter to pop out on a bunt. Then Coddou turned a double play on a grounder to end the inning.
In the seventh, Mizzou briefly took the lead at 8-6. One run scored on a groundout before Josh Day ripped a 2-run single.
The Colonels' seventh-inning rally was started on a
Alec Paz walk. Pinch runner
Basiel Williams was able to score from first on Washington's double to left center.
UP NEXT
Nicholls and Missouri wrap up the four-game set on Monday at 1 p.m.
