Baseball opens season with a win and a loss

The Nicholls State University baseball team opened its season this weekend against Wake Forest University and the University of Houston.

In the first game, seniors Cole Stapler and Mike Hanchar allowed Wake Forest only four hits, but they ended up falling 5-0 in their opener on Friday, Feb. 17.

Hanchar and Stapler both pitched four innings. Hanchar allowed three earned runs on three hits and struck out five while Stapler struck out six.

Three Colonels reached bases while Kyle Knauth and Chet Niehaus reached bases on walks.
The Colonels came back on Saturday, Feb. 18 with a 12-5 win over Wake Forest and a 5-3 loss against the Houston Cougars.

With 12 total hits against Wake Forest, Ethan Valdez sent in three with a homerun, while Alex Tucker had three RBI’s. In the fourth inning, Justin Holt delivered a 2-run single for a 5-3 lead.

Senior Daniel Goff earned the win for the Colonels, allowing one earned run in four innings of relief.

Following the game against Wake Forest, the Colonels took the loss against the Houston Cougars despite earning eight hits.

Junior Cayden Hatcher allowed five out of nine hits in 4 innings and took the loss for the Colonels.

Nicholls took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning and then Kyle Knauth tied the game up on a bases loaded single that allowed a runner to make it home.

The Cougars took the lead in the fifth inning when they received an extra base hit.

This Tuesday, Feb. 21, Nicholls State will compete against No. 13 Louisiana-Lafayette in their home opener at Ray E. Didier Field at 6 p.m.