THIBODAUX, La. - Karson Irvin doubled twice to drive in five runs
while Harper Jordan and Cole Simoneaux combined for 4.2 shutout
innings out of the bullpen to lift the Nicholls State University
baseball team to a 7-6 victory against Little Rock in the series
opener Friday afternoon on Ben Meyer Diamond at Didier Field.

After Little Rock (3-1) took an early 2-0 lead in the first, the teams
swapped leads three times in the middle innings. Nicholls (3-2) plated
four in the fourth, the Trojans answered with four in their fifth,
then the Colonels scored the final three runs in the sixth which
included a two-run double by Irvin.

Jordan allowed three hits in 3.2 innings for the win before Simoneaux
struck out two in the ninth for his first career save.

Michael Lindsey made the start for the Colonels and lasted 4.1
innings, allowing five earned runs on seven hits. After striking out
the first two batters, he gave up a double, a walk, and a run-scoring
single. The second run scored on a catcher's interference.

After Lindsey had two Ks in a three-up, three-down fourth, Nicholls
tagged Little Rock's Jackson Wells for four runs on three hits in the
bottom half. Narvin Booker Jr. and Aaron Biediger singled before Logan
Mallard was hit by a pitch to fill the bags. Irvin then laced a double
in the gap in left center to clear the bases for a 3-2 Colonel lead.
He later scored on a throwing error by the catcher after advancing on
a wild pitch.

Little Rock answered with its own four-run frame in the fifth to
retake the lead. A run scored on a fielder's choice before the Trojans
had three consecutive run-scoring hits, including a double by Aiden
McGinnis. Jordan took over on the bump and gave up a single, but ended
the inning with a groundout double play. In the bottom of the frame,
Jaden Collura led off with a double but was left stranded.

In the sixth, Booker and Biediger reached base again but this time
each drew a walk. Andy Miller put down a sac bunt and was safe at
first on a bad throw. With the bases loaded again, Irvin doubled to
right field, tying the game at 6-6. `The next batter, Chris Jans,
stroked a single to right center for his second hit and what ended up
being the game-winning RBI.

Little Rock managed only a two-out single in the seventh for the rest
of the outing.

Nicholls totaled seven hits with Irvin notching his fourth two-hit
effort of the season. Little Rock finished with 10 hits, led by Ty
Rhoades who was 2-for-5 with two RBIs.

ON DECK
Nicholls and Little Rock will wrap up the series on Saturday with a 1
p.m. doubleheader.