THIBODAUX, La. - The Nicholls State University baseball team scored three runs in the first and fourth innings and it was more than enough for the pitching staff as the Colonels clinched the series against New Orleans with a 6-4 victory Saturday night on Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field.
With the victory, Nicholls (24-15, 11-6 SLC) remained atop the Southland standings in a tie with McNeese. The Colonels will look to sweep New Orleans (22-18, 8-9 SLC) on Sunday with a 2 p.m. first pitch.
Garrett Felix had a big day at the plate with three hits, highlighted by a 3-run double in the opening inning. The other three runs came in the fourth on an RBI single by
Parker Coddou and a 2-run
Dane Simon base hit. Nicholls finished with eight hits in the victory.
Theriot (7-2) lasted seven innings but had to recover from a rocky start. He allowed a run in the first and two in the second, resulting in a 3-3 tie. He then retired 16 consecutive batters before a walk and an Isaac Williams RBI single trimmed the Colonel lead to 6-4 in the seventh. All four runs were earned as he allowed five hits and struck out three.
Chase Gearing pitched the final two innings for his fourth save of the season. He struck out two in the eighth and used some defensive help to preserve the lead. A hit-by-pitch and an error put the tying runners on second and third; however, shortstop Coddou charged across the middle of the diamond to field a grounder and fired to first just in time for the final out of the frame.
Gearing fanned two more batters in the ninth, ending the night with a three-pitch strikeout.
Felix also tripled and was a homer short of the cycle. Simon had two singles to round out the offensive leaders.
Williams led UNO with two hits and two RBIs. Brandon Mitchell took the loss, lasting just 3.1 innings with six earned runs on four hits and walked three. Caleb Seroski had a solid outing in relief, striking out seven in 4.2 innings.
