EDINBURG, Texas – Despite posting a season high 15 hits, the Nicholls State University baseball team was outlasted 10-9 by the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in a 13-inning thriller on Saturday night.
Nicholls (8-14, 3-5, SLC) jumped out to a quick lead as with two down in the second inning,
Fisher Ingersoll plated A.J. Cappell with a base knock to right field to put the Colonels up 1-0. The Red & Gray added two runs when
Andy Miller and
Karson Irvin scored on back-to-back plays. However, the game was tied 3-3 after three innings after UTRGV (13-3, 8-0 SLC) scored on consecutive singles.
Following a scoreless fourth frame, the Colonels added four runs on three hits in the fifth. Miller began the stanza with a double and scored on a
Jaden Collura one out single to left field. Next,
Noah Detillier doubled down the left field line to plate Irvin and
Aaron Biediger who both reached on walks. The Red & Gray led 7-3 after five innings.
With two down in the ensuing frame,
Chase Jans brought Miller home with a base knock. The Vaqueros responded in the home half with four runs on two hits as the Colonels walked three batters.
After Nicholls took an 8-7 advantage, UTRGV took its first lead of the contest after scoring one run in both the seventh and the eighth innings. However, pinch runner
Matt Melancon tied the game at nine in the top of the ninth as he scored on a
Carter Jenkins two out hit to center field.
The teams went scoreless for three frames behind stout pitching and defense.
Cole Simoneaux, who took over for
Kaden Cloward with one on in the 10
th, finished the stanza by getting out of a jam with runners on second and third. Next, he allowed one hit and struckout two in the 11
th before he retired the Vaqueros in order in the 12
th. After the Colonels retired in order, UTRGV's Steven Lancia won the game with a double down the line that plated Easton Moomau.
Enroute to a season high 15 hits five Colonels had multiple hits with Cappell leading the way with three. Collura, Biediger, Detillier, and Miller finished with two apiece. Irvin, Jans, Ingersoll and Jenkins had one.
The teams combined to use eleven different pitchers. For the Colonels, starting pitcher
Alec Sparks and
Cole Poirrier pitched the first six innings. The duo combined to allow eight runs on five hits with eight walks and four strikeouts.
Harper Jordan pitched a pair of frames allowing one run on four hits before Cloward entered and allowed one hit while posting two punch outs in 1.1 innings of work.
ON DECK
The series finale will be on Sunday March 16 at noon.