Some small ball went a long way en route to helping Nicholls take a 3-2 10th inning victory over 2000 NCAA College World Series participant, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Tuesday night at Ray E. Didier field. Rondon Anderson and Eron Morrow provided the late inning heroes that gave the Colonels their 19th win of the season.
With no outs in the bottom of the 10th, Anderson traveled from first to third base on a sacrifice bunt laid down by Luke Muller. Muller’s bunt set the stage for Morrow’s game winning single to center, which brought Anderson home.
Colonel pitcher, Seth Schornick, notched the win to move to 2-3 on the season. Schornick replaced Mike Prejean, and threw four complete innings, giving up one hit, while striking out six.
Prejean tossed the first six innings, giving up 10 hits and two runs, while fanning six.
“Our kids did a lot of things well, and Mike Prejean was outstanding,” Nicholls head coach B.D. Parker said. “Schornick came in and had a great presence and great command, as did Mike. Also, the defense made some plays behind them and gave the offense a chance to win in the end.”
The scoring began in the top of the third, when UL-Lafayette put two runs on the scoreboard to make it a 2-0 ballgame. With two on and one out, Rick Haydel stepped to the plate and laced a two RBI single to left field, to give his team a two-run lead.
Nicholls knotted the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth. The Colonels runs came on a lead-off homer by Doug Gill and a Kevin Larpenter RBI single to left field.
Leading the way at the plate for the Colonels was Gill, as he went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Nicholls will return to action Thursday when they travel to face SLC opponent, the University of Louisiana-Monroe. Game times are set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 1 p.m. Saturday. The series will mark the beginning of a 12-day road trip for the Colonels.
Before facing UL-Lafayette on Tuesday, Nicholls faced Northwestern State in a three game home SLC series. The Colonels took two-of-three games.
Game 1: Nicholls 7 Northwestern 3
In the first of a three game tilt, Nicholls jumped on the scoreboard first and did not look back en route to upending the Demons by four runs.
Offensively, Anderson and Morrow led the way for the Colonels. Anderson went 2-for-4 with three RBI’s, while Morrow recorded two hits to go along with driving in two.
Colonel pitcher, Ronald Gilchrist, tallied the win to move to 5-2 on the season. In Gilchrist’s 6 2/3 innings of work he surrendered three hits, while striking out nine.
Game 2: Northwestern 15 Nicholls 8
Unlike in game one, game two saw the Colonels falling victim to an offensive onslaught, which gave way to the Demons taking a seven-run victory.
Nicholls began plays, scoring three runs, to take a 3-1 lead after one inning, but from that point on the Demons were in control.
Eventually, Northwestern built its lead to seven. In all, the two teams combined for 30 hits.
Colonel pitcher, Ben Thompson was saddled with the loss, as he went six and 1/3 innings, giving up eight hits and eight runs, while striking out five. With the loss, Thompson’s record now stands at 2-4.
Leading the way at the plate for the Colonels was Gill and Jason Wilkerson.
The tandem combined to record four hits, while driving in four runs. Gill and Wilkerson also tallied one homerun each.
Game 3: Nicholls 8 Northwestern 6
Muller led the charge for Nicholls in the final game with three homeruns.
Muller went 3-for-4 from the plate, while driving in six runs. He became the first Colonel player since Pat Chasco, to hit three homers in one game. Chasco accomplished the feat in 1984.
Colonel closer, Alex Velazquez, recorded the win to move to 3-1 on the season. Velazquez pitched one and 1/3 innings and struck out one batter, while giving up one hit.
