CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - The Nicholls State University baseball team was unable to hang on to a four-run lead in the ninth to avoid a sweep as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi put together an improbable rally to defeat the Colonels, 11-10, Sunday afternoon at Chapman Field.
The Islanders racked up six hits in the final frame, including three consecutive singles with two outs to finish the comeback. Diego Johnson ended the contest with a single to right center for the game-winner.
Nick Heckman took the loss after allowing the final three hits. He relieved
Chase Gearing in the ninth with two on and one out, and picked up a strikeout against the first batter he faced. After giving up a bunt single to his first batter, Gearing had retired five straight before running into trouble in the ninth. He allowed two doubles and two runs scored in the final inning before exiting the game.
The conference sweep was the first for the Colonels (24-20, 11-10 SLC), which dropped out of first place for the first time since before Easter weekend. Nicholls has lost is last five games, including the midweek setback against No. 16 LSU earlier this week.
On offense,
Parker Coddou put together a four-hit game and scored twice, while
Alec Paz hit solo home runs in the second and seventh innings. The latter was the second of back-to-back home runs by he and
Edgar Alvarez, sparking a four-run inning that gave the Colonels an 8-5 lead.
Nicholls scored earlier in the game on an
Austin Trahan sacrifice fly in the second and a
Garrett Felix single in the fifth. The Colonels also plated two runs on two Islander errors.
Nico Saltaformaggio made the start, throwing 5.2 innings with five earned runs on seven hits. He struck out five, walked two and hit two.
SOUTHLAND STANDINGS
Following the results from the weekend, McNeese and Southeastern sit in first place at 12-9 in conference, and four teams, including the Colonels, are tied for second at 11-10.
ON DECK
Nicholls will host Southeastern for the final series of the regular season, starting Friday, May 13 with a 6 p.m. first pitch. The Colonels and Lions opened the conference season with a series with Nicholls taking all three games in Hammond.
