NATCHITOCHES, La. - After each team scored in the opening frame, Northwestern State pushed across five runs in the third and it was more than enough for the Demon pitching staff as the Colonels dropped Game 2, 7-4, Saturday night at Brown-Stroud Field.

The setback secured the second series loss for the Colonels (23-18, 8-6 SLC) this season. Nicholls will look to avoid the sweep on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.

The Colonels were limited to five hits by NSU (23-17, 9-5 SLC) but one was courtesy of Xane Washington. In the opening inning, Washington smacked a single up the middle for an RBI, extending his hitting streak to 17 games.

But the Demons immediately tied it on a leadoff homer by Jeffrey Elkins and added another run in the inning for a 2-1 lead. In the decisive third, most of the damage was self-inflicted as the Colonels issued three walks, including one with the bases loaded, and allowed a run to score via a Tyler Theriot balk. The big hit for NSU was a 2-run double by Jake Haze. 

Nicholls mounted a bit of a comeback in the fifth and sixth, scoring a total of three runs. Gerardo Villarreal made it 7-3 with a 2-run homer before the Colonels took advantage of a pair of walks to score in the sixth. But Red and Gray would not get any closer the rest of the way.

Villarreal led the offense with two hits while Parker Coddou and Austin Cain also added singles.

On the mound, Michael Quevedo (3-1) suffered his first loss, allowing five earned runs on three hits and three walks. Like in Friday's game, the Colonel bullpen received another strong performance with Harper Jordan tossing 5.0 shutout innings, striking out three while scattering four hits.

Alex Makarewich threw six innings for the win and struck out six but walked six.