Nicholls falters in HBU series opener, 5-4

THIBODAUX, La. — Following a back-and-forth contest featuring two major lead changes and a slew of opportunities on both sides, the Nicholls State University baseball program (9-11, 6-3 SLC) failed to regroup late in a tight series opener against Houston Baptist (4-16, 2-7 SLC), dropping a 5-4 contest to the Huskies on Friday evening at Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field.

Despite grabbing an early lead behind a fourth-inning solo homer from freshman Wes Toups — his second of the year — along with a pair of runs on a sac fly/error combo to wrap up the fifth, the Red & Gray saw their advantage evaporate following a three-run blast over the left-field wall late in the sixth. The Southland adversaries traded runs in the eighth, knotting the score at four-all entering the final frame, before the Huskies picked up the eventual game-winning run on a sac fly.

KEY STORYLINES & STATISTICS
— With the series-opening loss, the Colonels fall to 9-11 overall for the year and 6-3 within league competition; meanwhile, Houston Baptist improves to a 4-16 mark along with a 2-7 record in conference play.
— Outside of the three-run shot late in the sixth, starting pitcher Chase Gearing put together a solid outing on the mound in his sixth start of the year, tossing 5.2 frames with three runs allowed on six hits while setting down six batters on strikes. Senior Beau Balado took over for 1.1 innings, giving up one run on four hits with a single strikeout, before juniors Cade Evans and Joe Taylor (0-3) handled the final two frames in sequence, allowing one run on three hits with a trio punched out on strikes.
— Following an early-season slump, Toups seemed back in his February form as the freshman transfer finished with a pair of RBIs on one hit along with two runs scored. Junior Dane Simon collected the other lone RBI on one hit while three fellow Colonels — Xane Washington, Basiel Williams and Greg Anderberg — notched hits as well. Notably, Williams pushed his on-base streak up to 19 behind a lead-off single to right field in the fifth inning.

UP NEXT
The four-game series with HBU continues with a Saturday doubleheader at Didier Field, first pitch slated for 3 p.m. with the second contest set for approximately half-an-hour following the conclusion of the first.

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