THIBODAUX, La. - Following a three-run second inning, the Nicholls State University baseball team led for the rest of the game but had to fend off a late rally as the Colonels picked up a sweep over Houston Christian with a 6-5 victory on Sunday afternoon on Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field.
The three-game sweep was the first in conference for the Colonels (22-16, 8-4 SLC) since opening league play last season with a road sweep at Southeastern. With UIW dropping 2 of 3 games this weekend, Nicholls moved into first place in the standings with half of the schedule in the books.
Jacob Mayers improved to 5-1 on the season, striking out eight batters in 5.0 innings of work. He allowed two unearned runs in the opening frame but kept HCU off the board over the next four innings. The freshman hurler allowed three hits and walked five.
After falling behind early, Nicholls used three hits and took advantage of a pair of free passes to grab a 3-2 advantage.
Kaden Amundson started the scoring with an RBI single before
Parker Coddou tripled home another run.
Jayden Kay capped the inning with an RBI single for the lead.
In the fifth,
Xane Washington extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a leadoff double. He then gave Nicholls a 4-2 advantage, coming home on a base hit by
Austin Cain.
Mayers started the sixth but left after allowing a hit and hitting the next batter.
Nico Saltaformaggio took over and forced a double play before getting a groundout to end the inning.
In the eighth, Nicholls plated what turned out to be the game-winning run. Amundson led off with a hit-by-pitch and then raced to third on a
Wes Toups single. Coddou followed with a rocket down the first base line for an RBI and a 6-2 lead.
Saltaformaggio allowed a leadoff single in the ninth which ended a stretch of seven straight retired batters and left the game for
Cade Evans. Following a walk, pinch-hitter William Jewell hit a towering shot over the right field wall for a 3-run homer. But Evans settled in and allowed just a two-out single as the Colonels secured the sweep. Saltaformaggio totaled 3.0 innings with one run allowed and three strikeouts.
The offense produced 10 hits in the win, giving the Colonels double-digit hits for the fourth straight outing. Coddou, Washington, Kay and Toups each had two hits. For HCU, the Huskies received two-hit games by Samuel Benjamin and Dylan LaRue.
Will Ripoll took the loss for HCU, allowing four earned runs on six hits in 5.0 innings. He added four strikeouts and walked two.
ON DECK
Nicholls will head to Baton Rouge on Tuesday (April 25) to take on No. 1 LSU. The Tigers defeating the Colonels earlier this month, 12-2, in seven innings.
