THIBODAUX, La. - The Nicholls State University baseball team pounded out double-digit hits for the second straight game as the Colonels secured a series victory over HCU with a 13-5 win Saturday night at Ben Meyer Diamond at Didier Field.
The Colonels (21-16, 7-4 SLC) will go for their first Southland sweep with the finale set for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Xane Washington and
Garrett Felix were the offensive stars for Nicholls, helping the team to 12 hits in the victory. Washington was 3-for-3 with three RBIs, four runs scored and walked twice, while Felix was 4-for-5 with five RBIs. Washington also set a new career best with a 13-game hitting streak.
Only two Colonels saw time on the mound with
Michael Quevedo earning the victory while
Harper Jordan picked up the save. Quevedo struck out five and allowed four runs on five hits in 5.1 innings to improve to 3-0. Jordan fanned three in 3.2 innings and gave up a run on three hits in his first save of the season.
The first five runs of the game were driven in by HCU's Reed Chumley and Washington. They both had RBI singles in the first inning before Chumley plated two on a base hit in the third. In the bottom half, Washington started a three-run third for the Colonels with his second run-scoring hit.
Gerardo Villarreal added a RBI double and Felix followed with a 2-run single for a 5-3 advantage.
HCU's Parker Edwards made it 5-4 in the fourth on a rare homer over the centerfield wall. But errant pitching in the fifth by the Huskies stalled any momentum. Four consecutive walks led to
Austin Cain receiving an RBI on his. Felix then found space through the right side for two RBIs and
Jaden Collura drove in another on a sacrifice fly.
Leading 9-4, Nicholls extended the lead with two more runs in the sixth. The first scored on a Husky error and then Felix drove in his fifth run with another single.
The final two runs of the night came via the long ball. Washington muscled a solo shot over the right center wall in the seventh before HCU's Trent Baker homered in the ninth.
Walker Zander suffered the loss, allowing seven earned runs on seven hits in 4.0 innings.
