LAKE CHARLES, La. – After beginning the game on fire, the Nicholls State University baseball team's bats cooled off in its 14-3 loss to McNeese at Joe Miller Ballpark on Sunday afternoon.
 
Nicholls (5-7, 0-3 SLC) began the game by scoring three runs on three hits and one error to hold a 3-0 lead heading into the home half opening frame. Following a leadoff single by Chase Jans, Karson Irvin and Tyler Johnson laced back-to-back run scoring doubles down the left field line. Next, Johnson scored the third run on a Logan Mallard groundout.
 
The Colonels' advantage did not last long as the Cowboys answered with three runs on two hits to tie the game heading into the second frame. After the Colonels went down in order, McNeese added six runs on four hits to take a 9-3 lead. Following 1-2-3 third innings from both teams McNeese added two runs in the fourth before ending the game with a pair of home runs in the seventh inning.
 
The Colonels tallied six hits with Irvin being the only player with multiple hits as Jans, Johnson Mallard and AJ Cappell recorded one apiece. On the mound, Dalton Hill (1-2) suffered the loss after posting three strikeouts and allowing seven runs on four hits in 1.2 IP. Harper Jordan also posted three strikeouts while allowing five hits and four runs in 2 IP, Nick Fields struck out two in 2.1 IP, and Joseph Bordelon allowed three runs on two hits.
 
ON DECK
The Red & Gray will travel to Ruston to battle LA Tech on March 4-5 before hosting Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on March 7-9 in Thibodaux.