THIBODAUX, La. - The Nicholls State University baseball team took the lead in the fourth inning and scored in the next four frames as the Colonels picked up a series win over Lindenwood in the opening weekend.
Nicholls won three of the four games to claim its first series victory to open the season since 2019.
The Colonels were outhit in the finale, 12-7, but made the most four walks and three Lion errors. Of their seven hits, five went for extra bases including a solo home run by
Edgar Alvarez in the fifth inning.
The pitching staff finished with 11 strikeouts, giving the Colonels double-figure Ks in all four games.
Alexander Llinas earned the win with two strikeouts in one inning of relief while
Nico Saltaformaggio closed out the game with 4.0 innings and three strikeouts for the save.
Nicholls scored in the first inning on a
Xane Washington sacrifice fly.
Parker Coddou doubled with one out, moved to third on a stolen base, then scored on the sac for the 1-0 lead.
Lindenwood (1-3) answered in the top of the second, using a pair of singles and a walk issued by starter
Chat Hayes to tie the game at 1-1.
In the fourth, Llinas entered the game with two on and no outs. Lindenwood tried to bunt over the runners but Llinas fired to third for the force out. He then stranded two runners with back-to-back swinging strikeouts.
The momentum carried into the bottom half as Nicholls took a 3-1 lead. Two walks set up the first run which scored on a
Jaden Collura fielder's choice, then
Kade Turnage ripped an RBI single to right.
Lindenwood scored in the top of the fifth but Alvarez' first homer of the season pushed the lead back to two. In the sixth, pinch hitter
Gerardo Villarreal and
Wes Toups hit back-to-back doubles for a 5-2 advantage.
In the seventh, Nicholls plated three insurance runs. The first scored on an error before Collura drove in a run via a sac fly.
MaCrae Kendrick ended the scoring with an RBI double.
The Colonels scored the final run in the eighth on another Lion error.
ON DECK
Nicholls will hit the road for the next four games, starting Wednesday at South Alabama. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
