Nicholls lost their first series of the Southland Conference schedule on Sunday to Abeline Chistian University 5-3 in the rubber match on Sunday.

The Colonels (5-8,1-2) sent left hander Mike Hanchar to the mound, who picked up where starter Cole Stapler left off last night, retiring the Wildcats in order, in the first and second innings and striking out three in those frames.

After two quick outs in the second inning by right fielder Alex Shermer and Gavin Wheby, designated hitter Brandon Harigel got on with a base hit to right field. Centerfielder Justin Holt then bunted for a base hit, and Harigel advanced to third on an errant throw on the play. Harigel was driven in by catcher Alex Tucker, earning his second run batted in this season.

Hanchar ran into trouble in the fourth inning, after Chris Alitmont singled up the middle for ACU. But the threat was quickly eliminated when Altimont was picked off from first base on a snap throw from behind the plate by Tucker that nabbed him on a failed bunt attempt.

Hanchar walked the next batter and surrendered a weak fly ball to left field that found grass under a diving Wheby, followed by a bunt base hit to load the bases.

ACU designated hitter Austin Call cleared the bases with a double that snuck inside the bag at third and stayed in
fair territory, rolling all the way to the wall.

“I didn’t like the three run spot, good pitching staffs don’t give up three run spots,” head coach Seth Thibodeaux said. ”

Hanchar stayed in game to retire the next two batters and finished with four strikeouts over four innings, allowing seven hits and three runs, two earned.

Robbie Petty relieved for the Colonels in the top of the fifth inning, inheriting a runner on first base. Tucker recorded his tenth caught stealing on the season, gunning down ACU’s Hunter Markwardt at second base before Petty struck out the next two hitters.

The Colonels responded one inning later by loading the bases after a Tucker walk, a basehit to left by Dylan Manichia and a bunt hit by Ethan Valdez. Joey Morales stepped up and added to his RBI count from last night with a sacrifice fly to left field to bring the Colonels within one run. In stepped red hot Kyle Reese, batting .000
Reese was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and after an Alex Shermer fly-out to shortstop, Wheby lined out to first base to end the inning with three Colonels left on the diamond.

“We had opportunities to score runs and we didn’t get it done,” Thibodeaux said. “We don’t know how to punch everyday right now, but when we do, we will be a pretty good club.”

Petty ran into his spot of trouble in the seventh inning, after back-to-back base hits that put a runner in scoring position with one out for the Wildcats. After Petty struck out Markwardt, leadoff hitter Aaron Draper singled to left, extending Abeline Christian’s lead 4-2.

The Colonels went down in order in the sixth and seventh innings, as they did in the first and fourth innings as well.

In the eighth inning, Hunter Speer inherited a bases loaded jam after reliever Adam Tarver walked two and gave up a base hit. Speer let up a base hit to left which pushed across ACU’S fifth run of the game and was immediately replaced by left hander Zach Thiac who got the Colonels out of the jam.

Nicholls had an opportunity to close the gap with a runner on second and one out in the eighth inning, but were unsuccessful to get the run across.

Reese walked to lead off the inning and advanced to second when the pickoff attempt was too slow. Reese moved to third on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Wheby, then scored when pinch hitter Juan Givan beat out a groundball that was bobbled by the ACU shortstop, making the score 5-3 but the Colonels were unable to extend the inning further when pinch hitter Kyle Knauth struck out.

The Colonels entered the ninth against pitcher Joseph Goetze, who set the Colonels down in order to end the game.

“Any time you can go on the road and get a series win is huge,” ACU head coach Britt Bonneau said. “I know Seth’s team is going to win a lot of games.”

Nicholls will return to action on Thursday as they host Sacred Heart University for three games at Didier Field.