Cole Simoneaux delivered a perfect ninth inning, picking up a save to put the Colonels back in the win column.

The freshman pitcher recorded two strikeouts and forced a ground out on his 17 pitches in the final period.

“It feels good to lift the guys up,” Simoneaux said. “They had faith in me so I had to go out there and show them what I can do and I did.”

The Nicholls State University baseball team defeated the University of Arkansas-Little Rock 7-6 on Feb 21.

Nicholls trailed early following the Trojans’ two-run first inning but took the lead in the fourth inning after scoring four runs.

The Trojans returned the favor in the fifth inning, matching the Colonels’ four runs, taking a 6-4 lead, but the Colonels landed the last punch, driving in three runs in the sixth inning to recover the lead.

Colonels’ head coach Brent Haring said his team’s relentless effort kept the team in the game after falling behind twice.

“They just kept grinding,” Haring said. “There’s no quit in them, they just fight and fight and fight. I was proud of how the offense went about it.”

Karson Irvin led that offensive effort, picking five RBIs off of two doubles and scoring a run in the fourth inning.

Irvin delivered in a pivotal moment, hitting an RBI double to tie the game in the sixth inning, putting the Colonels in position to take the lead. Irvin said he saw the play coming before he stepped up to the plate.

“I saw it before the pitch even got to me. Stepping into the box I was really confident in knowing what I could, but it is a team effort,” Irvin said. “I was fortunate that our guys put together some gritty at-bats and got on base.”

The Colonels now prepare for a doubleheader on Saturday to close out the series against the Trojans.

Haring said layers getting a good rest tonight and staying hydrated is important for success tomorrow.

“We talked about going home, eating a good meal, staying hydrated and getting enough sleep so their bodies can recover and be ready to come out here and grind tomorrow,” Haring said.

Game one is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. with the second game to follow.