Nicholls State University evened its conference opening series with a 4-2 victory over Abeline Chistian University on Saturday night at Raymond E. Didier field.

The Colonels (5-7, 1-1) sent junior righthander Cole Stapler to the mound with hopes the veteran from Geismar would all down an all important Saturday night slot that last year Nicholls filled with talented pitchers now, in the minor leagues.

The Wildcats countered with undefeated starter Garrett deMeyere and his miniscule 0.64 ERA to the mound. Heading into the game, deMeyere had only allowed 1 run and 7 hits in 14 innings of work.

Nicholls got to work early when left fielder Gavin Wheby fouled off two pitches with two strikes before lacing a single through the right side. Wheby stole second, then was advanced to third by a groundball to the right side by designated hitter Kyle Knauth.

Shortstop Joey Morales then hit a fly ball to center field deep enough for Wheby to tag up from third for the Colonels first run.

It was Nicholls’ first lead in a game in a week.

Stapler got the bats quickly back in the dugout with a nine-pitch top of the third inning. Quick innings were a theme for Stapler and the defense, as he didn’t face more than four batters in an inning until the eighth.

First baseman Dylan Manichia kept the pressure on the Wildcats with a blistering shot past ACU’S drawn in third baseman to start the Colonel third.

After a fly out on Nicholls’ second failed hit-and-run of the night, Manichia stole second base to put himself in scoring position. Centerfielder Justin Holt then flied out to shortstop, bringing up the red hot Kyle Reese to the plate.

Manichia moved up to third base on ball in the dirt, and Reese fouled off three pitches to work the count back to even, but was called out on strikes for the third out.

Stapler was locked in throughout the night, retiring the Wildcats in order in the first, third, fourth, sixth and seventh innings. He recorded all six strikeouts in those innings.

“It was the best I’ve seen him at this level, but I know he has more in the tank,” head coach Seth Thibodeaux said.
Stapler kept the Wildcats from reaching second base until the 8th inning, keeping hitters off balance with an effective changeup and allowing his defense to record 16 outs behind him.

Wheby sparked a Colonel threat again in the bottom of the fourth inning.

With one out and two strikes, Wheby made contact on a checked swing but hustled down the line to force an errant throw by the ACU third baseman, which allowed Wheby to move up to second.

Knauth followed with a deep drive into the teeth of the wind in right field that knocked the ball down at the warning track for the second out. After a Morales infield single, catcher Alex Tucker flied out to second base to end the inning.

Reese had another opportunity to add to his Southland Conference lead in the Colonel half of the fifth inning.
With one out, second baseman Ethan Valdez earned his first hit of the night, then beat three Wildcats to third base after a Holt sacrifice bunt moved him up to second and noticed no one was covering the bag. However, deMeyere got Reese to fly out to left field to end the inning.

The Colonels finally broke through in the sixth inning.

Alex Shermer lead off the inning with a walk, then advanced to third after ACU’S cather’s throw hit Shermer on a steal attempt and ricocheted into left field. Wheby then collected his third hit of the night and fifth run batted in of the year.

Nicholls looked to add to their lead in their half of the seventh after Dylan Manichia collected his second hit of the night.

Manichia moved up to second on his second stolen base of the night, and after Valdez and Holt flied out to left field, Reese stepped to the plate, again looking to for his third RBI of the weekend.

Reese hit a shoot deep to right field that looked like it was going to leave the park, but the same wind that knocked down Knauth’s ball in the 4th inning caught Reese’s drive, which was also caught at the warning track.

“If we could have tacked on a few more hits we could have ended this game in a little bit different fashion,” Thibodeaux said.

The Colonels led for 7 2/3 innings until back-to-back-to-back hits for the Wildcats followed by a Reese throwing error from third to first tied tied the game at 2. Zach Thiac came on to relive Stapler and recorded the third out.
Stapler finished with six strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings of work, allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits.

The Colonels answered back in the bottom of the eighth when Wheby notched his game high fourth hit. Wheby moved up to second when Juan Givan, who came on for Knauth as a pinch runner in the sixth, drew a walk. Morales then doubled to the left field gap, scoring Wheby. Givan was thrown out at the plate.

“Joey Morales had a tough one last night, he had a chance with a runner on third with less than two outs last night and didn’t get it done,” Thibodeaux said. “Tonight he delivers a big blow. It’s nice to see others guys do it and not just wait for Reese.”

Morales came around to score on the on a basehit with two strikes by Tucker for the Colonels fourth run. Morales finished 3-3 with a double and two RBI’s on the night, and Wheby was 4-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.

“Maybe this is the way this team needed to win this game to build confidence going into a big game Sunday,” Thibodeaux said.

Daniel Goff closed out the game for the Colonels, earning his first save of the year.

The two teams will meet for the rubber match of this conference opening series at 1 p.m. tomorrow at “The Did”.