THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University baseball team hit two home runs and tallied 16 strikeouts in its 5-2 victory over Sacred Heart on Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field on Saturday night.
 
Senior first baseman Edgar Alvarez went 3-3 highlighted by his second home run in as many nights. His shot over the center field wall broke a 2-2 tie in the home half of the fifth inning. The Colonels extended their lead when senior left fielder Garrett Felix hit an RBI single in the sixth.
 
The scoring began and ended with junior catcher Jaden Collura. First, he hit a two-out RBI single in the first inning, then walked home with the bases loaded in the sixth inning. In between that, senior outfielder Basiel Williams hit a solo shot to right field to extend the Red & Gray lead to 2-0 in the fourth.
 
Making his Colonel debut, starting pitcher Jack Nelson recorded eight strikeouts, while allowing two hits, one walk and two earned runs in four innings of action. Nico Saltaformaggio earned his first win of the season as he fanned five and gave up one hit in his 3.1 innings of work.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, the Pioneers scored two runs on a two-out double by Alex Ungar.
 
UP NEXT
The Red & Gray will play the final game of the three-game series against the Pioneers on Sunday, Feb. 18 at noon.