Nicholls pounds McNeese to repeat as Southland Tournament Champions

HAMMOND — No. 1 Nicholls looked fine-tuned, poised and effective in all phases of the game Saturday night, closing out their second consecutive Southland Championship in a dominant 15-1 victory over No. 5 McNeese.

This marks Nicholls’ third Southland Tournament Championship in program history. The Colonels have also won their last eight games in the event.

The Colonels left little doubt in the showcase, scoring 15 unanswered to prevail in a game where all players in its lineup shined through in differerent moments. Each player in the champs’ lineup recorded a hit in the game and six of those nine players finished with two.

Basiel Williams earned the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award, posting a four-game line of five hits on 16 attempts with five RBI. The most notable of those came on a walk-off solo home-run in Friday’s win over No. 6 Southeastern that sent Nicholls to the title game.

Dylan Farley went the distance, throwing the full seven innings with one earned run on four hits, five walks and six strikeouts while claiming his third win of the season.

Several stars shined on the Nicholls offense. Parker Coddou led the group with two home runs totaling five RBI along with a walk. Gerardo Villarreal went three-of-five with two RBI while Garrett Felix went two-of-three with two RBI and two walks. Macrae Kendrick and Darvin Booker Jr. both went two-of-four at the dish.

Cooper Hext got under a ball in the first inning, sailing it toward left and out of the park, giving the Cowboys the initial 1-0 lead. But the Colonels had a response ready in the second. Parker Coddou squared up in the box with two outs, two on and sent a three-run shot the same way to put Nicholls ahead 3-1.

McNeese pressed the Colonels’ defense in the bottom of the third, loading the bases with one out. But Dylan Farley forced a popout and a fielder’s choice to escape the jam.

The Colonels put two runners on base with two outs in the fourth and a sequence of three consecutive doubles would start to widen the gap. Gerardo Villarreal drove both in on an RBI double to right center and the two seed extended its lead to a 5-1 advantage. Similar strikes from Macrae Kendrick and Narvin Booker Jr would produce an offensive outpour in the following trip to the plate.

Kaden Amundson singled to right center to bring in Booker and another deep shot off Coddou’s bat brought the lead to a 10-1 margin and Basiel Williams singled in one more run, creating a 10-run advantage going into the bottom of the fifth.

The Cowboys threatened with another stint with loaded bases but a poised Farley navigated his way out of trouble again. Nicholls would put a seal on the game in the seventh inning, adding the final four runs two its total.

Nicholls becomes the sixth repeat champion in the history of the Southland Tournament and the first since Sam Houston (2016-17).

The Colonels await their regional drawing for the NCAA Baseball Championship which will be announced on the tournament’s selection show Monday, May 27, at 11 a.m. on ESPN 2.