Colonels fall to Northwestern State in SLC Tourney

The No. 3 seeded Nicholls State University baseball team outhit No. 2 seed Northwestern State Thursday morning at Constellation Field, but the Dirty Red was unable to capitalize, stranding 10 base runners en route to a 4-3 loss in a Southland Conference Tournament elimination game.
The Colonels (34-19-1, 18-11 SLC) jumped out to a first-inning lead, loading the bases with no outs, but only came away with one run.
Nicholls took a 2-0 lead in the second when a Darius Knight single scored Berwick High alum David Zorn.
The Demons (31-22, 20-8 SLC) were held in check through the first four innings but came alive in the fifth. With runners at the corners, Garrett Logan singled to give Northwestern State its first run. A sacrifice fly from Joel Atkinson, coupled with an error by the Colonels, allowed Northwestern State to score two and grab a 3-2 lead.
Cort Brinson subsequently singled up the middle, driving in a fourth run before Nicholls was able to close out the frame.
In the bottom of the inning, the Colonels put runners at the corners with only one out but failed to take advantage as the Demons escaped unscathed.
Justin Smith came home on a Joey Morales sacrifice fly in the eighth, pulling the Colonels within a run, but the squad was unable to re-create its ninth-inning magic from the previous day.
Ryan Deemes (5-4) took the loss, allowing four runs — three earned — on five hits through 4.2 innings.
In relief, Robbie Petty, Zach Thiac, Marc Frazier and Stuart Holmes combined to throw 4.1 scoreless innings, giving up just three hits with two strikeouts.
Josh Oller (10-2) earned the win, surrendering two runs — one earned — on eight hits while fanning four batters through 5.2 innings.
Brandon Smith was awarded his 10th save this season after holding Nicholls to just one run on three hits through the final 3.1 innings.
Christian Correa, Kyle Reese and Knight each notched three hits for the Colonels, with Tanner Vandevere, Morales, and Knight registering RBIs. Justin Holt, Smith and Zorn each scored a run in the loss. Zorn was 1-for-2 in the loss.
David Fry led Northwestern State offensively with a 2-for-3 outing and a run.
It was a disappointing end to a record-setting year. The 2015 Nicholls squad matched marks set by some of the most storied teams of the programs’ past. The Colonels went on a nine-game tear that was the teams’ longest winning streak since 2005.
Nicholls swept its season series against Louisiana-Lafayette for the first time since 1996 and downed the now No. 1 LSU Tigers at Alex Box Stadium earlier this year. Nicholls also turned in back-to-back 30-win seasons for the first time since 1992-93.
The Colonels’ 34 wins this season are the most since 1992 when the program totaled 36 victories.
The Dirty Red also garnered unprecedented recognition within the conference and on a national level. Holmes set the school record for saves in a season and is currently second in the nation with 15 saves in 2015.
Holmes was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team and became the first player in school history to land a spot on the prestigious NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List earlier this season.
Holmes was also tabbed for the NCBHF Pitcher of the Year Watch List, alongside his teammate, Justin Sinibaldi, making Nicholls one of only three schools nationally to place two players on the list.
Vandevere was named SLC Hitter of the Week earlier this year, and Reese earned Louisiana Sports Writer’s Association Hitter of the Week honors twice and Southland Hitter of the Week honors once.
Sinibaldi also was named SLC pitcher of the Week twice and earned LSWA Pitcher of the Week once. The Colonels claimed Southland Conference accolades for Pitcher of the Year, Relief Pitcher of the Year and Newcomer of the Year and produced two First-Team, one Second-Team and two Honorable Mention All-Southland selections.
Nicholls will lose seven seniors in Deemes, Vandevere, Correa, Knight, Zorn, Smith, Holmes and Jason McDonald but will retain a number of starters and key contributors next season.