THIBODAUX, La. – Following a thrilling comeback victory in the opener, the Nicholls State University baseball team erupted for 10 runs in their series clinching triumph over Northern Illinois on Ray E. Didier Field on Saturday afternoon.
Nicholls began the game on fire. After starting pitcher
Alec Sparks had a quick first inning that featured a strikeout, the Colonels put up three runs via three hits and a pair of walks in the opening frame.
Leadoff batter
Narvin Booker Jr. was hit by the second pitch he faced before
Fisher Ingersoll had a one out base knock to center field. The duo stole second and third to set up
Logan Mock who brought Booker Jr. home with a ground out.
With the Colonels up 1-0,
Jaden Collura earned a free pass and later advanced to second on a wild pitch. In an at bat that featured a full count and 10 pitches,
Aaron Biediger laced a single to shortstop that plated Ingersoll. Collura scored to put the Red & Gray up 3-0 via a
Tyler Johnson base hit.
After a pair of three up three down stanzas from Sparks, the Colonels added five runs on three hits and two errors in the bottom of the 3rd.
Biediger got the runs going when he smoked a two-run single up the middle that brought in Mock who reached base on a throwing error and Collura who singled. Biediger scored on a
Christian Westcott ground out before Johnson who reached on a throwing error. Next,
Karson Irvin was hit by a pitch before stealing second. Booker brought Johnson home with a base knock through the right side. Nicholls went up 8-0 on a play that saw Booker get picked off to allow Irvin to score.
Following the third consecutive1-2-3 inning from Sparks, Ingersoll blasted his first home run of the season followed by a
Logan Mock run on Irvin's second hit of the game to make the count 10-0, Colonels.
In his first victory dawning the Red & Gray Sparks fanned seven while allowing five hits, two runs, in six innings of work.
Noah Melancon and
Cole Poirrier pitched the last three frames giving up zero hits and combing for three strikeouts.
The Huskies were led by Andrew Smart who accounted for both RBI via a base knock in the 6th.
