THIBODAUX, La. - The Nicholls State University baseball team jumped out to a 6-0 lead after the first inning against Memphis and it was more than enough for the pitching staff as the Colonels took the series with a 9-2 victory Sunday afternoon on Ben Meyer Diamond at Didier Field.
The six-run first was capped by an extremely rare inside-the-park grand slam by
MaCrae Kendrick.
Parker Coddou was then responsible for two of the final three Colonel runs, homering in the fourth before hitting an RBI double in the eighth.
Jacob Mayers added another solid outing to his impressive start as a Colonel, striking out seven in 5.0 innings for the win. After tossing a combined 10 shutout innings in his first two starts, he finally allowed a run as Memphis (8-4) tagged him for four hits and two runs scored.
Cade Evans also had an uncommon statistic, picking up a four-inning save. He scattered four hits, struck out one and kept Memphis off the board.
Nicholls outhit the Tigers, 11-8, getting multi-hit efforts by four different players.
Xane Washington and
Edgar Alvarez had three each while Coddou and Kendrick totaled two apiece. Washington doubled once and Alvarez added two doubles as both extended their hitting streaks to six games. They doubled back-to-back in the opening frame to start the big inning.
Austin Cain singled in the next run for a 2-0 lead before Memphis starter Seth Garner walked and hit a batter to load the bases. With two strikes, Kendrick fouled off three consecutive pitches before hitting a shot that carried to right field. The fielder made a leaping attempt but the ball ricocheted back into the outfield. Kendrick was running the whole time and beat the throw home for the inside-the-park grand slam and a 6-0 Colonel advantage.
Mayers kept Memphis hitless the first time through the order and struck out four before the Tigers used back-to-back doubles by RJ Jimerson and Austin Baskin in the third for two runs. But Mayers and Evans would combine for a shutout the rest of the way.
ON DECK
Nicholls will host Penn for a two-game series, starting Tuesday, March 7. Both games are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The Quakers are coming off a series win over Lamar, who entered the series with a 9-0 record.
