THIBODAUX, La. - Freshman Jacob Mayers tossed five hitless innings and struck out nine in his collegiate debut as the Nicholls State University baseball team took Game 3 against Lindenwood with an 8-3 victory Sunday afternoon on Ben Meyer Diamond at Didier Field. 

The offense gave Mayers more than enough run support with a 2-run single by Jaden Collura in the opening frame. Nicholls (2-1) then plated five runs in the fifth, highlighted by a 2-run home run by Parker Coddou. 

A graduate of St. Amant, Mayers was near perfect as he allowed just three walks while keeping the Lions hitless. He struck out two batters in each of the first four innings and then added his ninth in the fifth frame. Five of his strikeouts were swinging as Lindenwood (1-2) had trouble catching up to his fastball. 

The Colonels racked up 14 hits in the victory with five players totaling two or more hits. Xane Washington doubled twice and went 3 for 5, and Austin Cain also posted a 3 for 5 outing. Collura led the team with three RBIs and Garrett Felix drove in two.

Washington's first double came in the opening inning, putting runners in scoring position for Collura who singled up the middle for a 2-0 advantage.

Over the next three innings, the Colonels threatened to extend the lead but ended up leaving six runners on base. But in the fifth, Nicholls pounded out five hits to fuel the five-run inning. Felix delivered a two-run pinch hit double before Kaden Amundson brought him home on a single. Coddou capped the inning with his first homer of the season.

Brett Bowers prevented the shutout with a 3-run home run for the Lions, but Nicholls got on back in the bottom half on a Collura sacrifice fly. The run was set up thanks to Washington's second double. 

Arturo Rodriguez tossed the final two innings, striking out three while allowing no hits.