THIBODAUX, La. - Tyler Theriot tossed six shutout innings and the Nicholls State University baseball team exploded for seven late runs to take the opening game against ULM, 8-0, Friday night at Lou St. Amant Field.

Nicholls (10-6) led just 1-0 after a Jaden Collura RBI single in the seventh broke a scoreless tie. The Colonels then used five hits and took advantage of two errors for seven runs in the ninth to put the game away. Despite the extra runs, Chase Gearing and Cade Evans kept ULM (6-9) off the board in a combined three shutout innings out of the bullpen.

The Colonels totaled 11 hits, getting multi-hit efforts by Garrett Felix, Parker Coddou and Wes Toups. Felix tripled and his other hit was a double in the seventh, leading to him coming home on the Collura base hit. 

Theriot (2-2) allowed three hits and struck out three in his six innings of work. He did not surrender a hit until the fifth, which was a leadoff double. But he escaped with no damage and then allowed a two-out single and a double in the sixth, again getting out of the jam. 

In the seventh, Theriot hit and walked a batter before leaving the game for Gearing. After a strikeout, ULM loaded the bases on a Cardell Thibodeaux base hit. However, Gearing got another strikeout before ending the threat on a grounder to second.

In the ninth, the first run scored on an error and Erick Ordonez then gave Nicholls a 3-1 lead on a hit to right field. Toups made it 5-1 on a double down the left field line.

Xane Washington and Edgar Alvarez came through with RBI singles and the final run of the frame scored on an Austin Cain groundout. It was the second time Cain batted in the inning after leading it off with a single. 

Evans tossed a perfect ninth to finish up the shutout for the Colonels. 

Kade Dupont had two of the Warhawks' five hits on the night. Cam Barlow suffered the loss, allowing the lone run on three hits in six innings. 

ON DECK
The Colonels will look to clinch the series victory on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.