The Colonels looked poised to take a series-clinching win against the University of Central Arkansas last Sunday, up 6-3 heading into the eighth inning, when the Bears drove in four runs to seal a 7-6 defeat for Nicholls.
Nicholls outhit the Bears 11-6, with senior outfielder Matt Richard getting three hits and scoring twice, but two walks and a single loaded the bases in the ninth helped UCA earn a pair of runs to tie the game before pitch hitter Doug Votolato drove in one on a single to seal the victory.
A win Sunday would have earned Nicholls their first conference series win of the season after taking Saturday’s game 2-1, a contest that saw the Colonels’ pitchers allow five hits.
Despite a 2-10 conference record, head coach Seth Thibodeaux does not think the stretch qualifies as a rough patch.
“It hadn’t really been rough,” Thibodeaux said. “We’ve just been on the short end of the stick. We have lost five one-run games. That is not something we are really proud of. We haven’t played our best baseball in conference. There have been some situations where we could have driven in some runs and just didn’t do it at the right time. What we are struggling with is getting off the field in clutch situations, getting the clutch hit, and being clutch.”
Though it did not fall into the conference win column, the Colonels picked up a 4-1 victory over South Alabama last Tuesday.
“South Alabama would probably be the best team in our league, and we just went and beat them up in their place,” Thibodeaux said.  “We need to do that against the teams in our league as well.”
Junior pitcher Brandon Jackson picked up the win in his second start of the season after missing the first month with a hand injury. Jackson allowed one run and picked up six strikeouts in six innings. Thibodeaux noted Jackson’s ability as both a pitcher and in the field.
“He had a great start against LSU a couple of weeks back too,” Thibodeaux said. “He really shut down a very offensively talented team. He is going to be tough to beat.”
Nicholls has won 15 games out of conference, and Thibodeaux believes that the Colonels conference woes have stemmed more from underperformance by his own squad than being overmatched.
“I think we should be one of the better teams in our league,” Thibodeaux said. “I’m not scared of anyone in our league. We have to have the right mindset. I don’t think anyone is different from anyone. It is about playing good baseball and having a tough-minded team. It has nothing to do with talent.”
With five conference series left in the season, the Colonels still have a chance to make the postseason and could start chipping away at their win deficit this weekend when Nicholls hosts McNeese for three games.
Nicholls sits two places behind the Cowboys in the conference standings, tied for last place. The four teams above the Colonels are all tied, so a strong performance this weekend could put the team in a position to make a jump in the rankings. Four of the five conference opponents Nicholls has faced so far are in upper half of the league standings.
Thibodeaux remains confident the Colonels can pull everything together in the final third of the season.
“I fully expect our team to finish strong and do what we need to do to make a championship run at the end,” Thibodeaux said. “I really feel that we will.”