HAMMOND, La. – The Nicholls State University baseball team was beaten 6-5 by Houston Christian University on the second day of the Southland Conference Tournament at Pat Kenelley Diamond at Alumni Field on Friday afternoon.
Both teams began the game by loading the bases in the opening inning. However, Nicholls left the runners stranded while HCU capitalized by plating two runs with a base hit to center field. The Colonels responded in the next frame as they tied the game by taking advantage of multiple mistakes by the Huskies.
Jaxon Milam started the rally by reaching safely on an error by the third baseman. Milam then stole second and
Logan Terry walked before they were moved up a base on a balk. Milam scored from third on a wild pitch and Terry scored on a
Casey Artigues sacrifice fly to tie the game.
Following a pitching change, HCU scored on a ground out in the second inning to take a 3-2 lead. The Colonels kept taking advantage of mistakes by the Huskies to score two more runs to take the lead in the third.
Keegan Giger followed Milam's lead from earlier in the game as he reached on a fielding error before stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch. Giger scored a few plays later as Milam hit into a fielder's choice to second base.
Logan Terry walked again before scoring on an Artigues base knock to left field to put the Colonels up 4-3.
After an efficient inning from
Karson Trichel in the third, the Colonels added another run in the fourth.
Carter Jenkins walked before scoring from first base on a
Greyson Shafer single that was misplayed by the Huskies' center fielder.
HCU got a run back on a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the fifth. Both teams went scoreless in the sixth and all six batters grounded out. The Colonels were retired in order in the seventh before the Huskies tied the game with a two out single to left field.
Nicholls threatened with two down and the bases loaded in the top of the eighth but was unable to capitalize.
Eli Waters retired the Huskies in order in the home half of the eighth. The Colonels had the go-ahead run-in scoring position but hit two line outs to end the top of the ninth. HCU's Levi Castilleja blasted a two out home run to secure the victory for the Huskies.
The Colonels had eight hits while working 12 walks but left 15 runners stranded. Terry led the way with two hits and two walks.
Fisher Ingersoll worked three walks and matched Artigues,
Nico Rijo-Berger, Thompson, Jenkins, and Shafer with one hit apiece.
The pitching staff was highlighted by Trichel who allowed five hits in 3.1 innings of work.
Dalton Hill had the second longest outing as he allowed two hits in 2.2 frames. Waters suffered his second loss of the season as he allowed the lone hit in 1.2 innings.
