Nicholls falters late in extra innings clash with Little Rock

THIBODAUX, La. — Despite a competitive outing from both the pitching staff and batting order, the Nicholls State University baseball program (1-4, 0-0 Southland) stumbled late in the opening contest of the Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Mardi Gras Classic against Little Rock (4-1, 0-0 Sun Belt), falling to the Trojans by a final 8-6 mark in extra innings Friday evening at Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field.

In a matchup featuring four lead changes along with 25 total hits, the Red & Gray put together an impressive all-around performance, rallying from a deficit on two occasions while eight different Colonels finished with hits — including three with more than one — while half notched RBIs.

Facing a quick 3-0 hole after just two frames, Nicholls composed a combined four runs across the second and fourth stanzas, surging to a one-score advantage. The visiting Trojans quickly responded with two of their own in the sixth, recapturing their lead, before the Red & Gray answered back with one in both the sixth and seventh frames. Finally, Little Rock forced extra innings with a solo run in the eighth to knot the score, setting up an eventual game-winning bomb down the left-field line later in the 10th.

KEY STORYLINES & STATISTICS
— With the loss, the Colonels fall to 1-4 overall on the season while Arkansas-Little Rock improves to a strong 4-1.
— Notably, the Nicholls pitching staff retired a season-high 19 opposing batters on strikes, easily replacing the previous Seth Thibodeaux era single-game record (17 strikeouts) and currently serves as the top group outing in the category since, at the very least, the 2003 campaign (17 seasons).
— Individually, senior RHP Trever Kilcrease once again earned a no decision in his second start of the season, striking out a game-best 11 batters across 5.2 innings while surrendering five runs on eight hits. Fellow senior LHP Beau Balado (0-2) acted as the final replacement of the four-man crew out of the bullpen, suffering his second loss of the year despite setting down five batters on strikes and giving up just two runs on a pair of hits.
— At the plate, junior Ivan Prejean put on a show behind a career-best four hits and two RBIs, plating key runs for the Colonels in both the second and fourth frames.

UP NEXT
The Red & Gray have a rematch against the Trojans Saturday evening in the third game of the Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Mardi Gras Classic. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Didier Field.