Heckman earns first career win as Nicholls downs Southern, 4-2

THIBODAUX, La. – Freshman Nick Heckman struck out seven in five innings while Alec Paz drove in two runs as the Nicholls State University baseball team won its fourth consecutive game with a 4-2 victory against Southern University Tuesday night on Ben Meyer Diamond at Didier Field.

The Colonels improved their record to 17-13 overall and 12-5 at home. Southern slipped to 16-13 on the year.

Making his second career start, Heckman (1-0) surrendered six hits in the outing, including one to lead off the game. He then struck out the side and would allow just an unearned run in the fifth.

Nicholls outhit Southern in the game, 10-8, led by Paz and Waylon LeBlanc with two each. In the first, Paz put Nicholls on the board with an RBI single, and Adam Tarver made it 2-0 with a run-scoring hit through the right side.

Paz then delivered again in the third with an RBI base hit to center, giving the Colonels a 3-0 advantage. It was set up by a Jaguar error and a wild pitch that allowed Dane Simon to get to third base.

After Southern scored in the fifth, the Jaguars then cut the deficit to 3-2 in the seventh on a Johnny Johnson single to left center. But Parker White retired the final two batters, leaving the tying runner on third.

In the eighth, Christopher Sandberg doubled the Colonel lead with a single to right center. Austin France scored on the play from second after starting the frame with a base hit.

Brandon Andrews pitched the ninth and following an error and a walk, he forced the Jaguars into a 6-4-3 double play. The final out of the night was an easy popup to LeBlanc at second base as Andrews notched his first save.

For Southern, Tyler LaPorte was 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored. Eli Finney suffered the loss with two earned runs on six hits in 4.2 innings.

ON DECK
The Colonels head to Natchitoches this weekend for a three-game series against Northwestern State. Friday’s opener (March 5) is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

FOLLOW ALONG
For the latest Colonel baseball news, follow the team on Twitter @Nicholls_BASE.