HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana fell to rival Nicholls, 6-5, in Southland Conference play Friday at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field, snapping the Lions' school-record, 14-game winning streak.
The win by the Colonels (12-15, 3-7 Southland) also snapped a Southland-record, 13 straight conference wins for Southeastern (20-7, 9-1 Southland).
The matchup of the top two returning pitchers in the conference turned out to be a tight game, but not how most fans expected. Lion Preseason All-American
Kyle Cedotal matched Justin Sinibaldi, the reigning Southland pitcher of the year, for six innings. It was the defense behind them that made the difference.
Second baseman
Carson Crites put the Lions up, 1-0, in the second inning, smashing a solo home run to left field. It was the third home run of the season for the junior from Amarillo, Texas.
The Colonels took advantage of some Lion miscues in the next inning to take the lead.
Catcher Alex Tucker singled up the middle to lead off the third and advanced to second base when Dylan Manichia's grounder got through Crites' legs.
Second baseman Ethan Valdez attempted to sacrifice the runners into scoring position, but Lion first baseman
Jameson Fisher grabbed the bunt and tossed on to third base for the force.
Center fielder Justin Holt beat out a slow roller up the third-base line, but Cedotal's throw to first went down the line and allowed a pair of runs to score.
Southeastern threatened to tie up the game in the fifth after third baseman
Taylor Schwaner drew a walk to lead off the inning and
Jacob Seward followed with a single to left.
The promising inning came to a screeching halt when shortstop
Brennan Breaud ripped a line drive right at the Nicholls first baseman. Brandon Harigel hauled in the ball, stepped on first base and threw to second, doubling off a pair of runners for a triple play.
The Colonels added another unearned run in the sixth, going up, 3-1, after Breaud committed three errors.
Another potential Lion rally stalled in the sixth when Nicholls turned a double play behind Sinibaldi.
Heading into the seventh inning the game was halted for 41 minutes because of lightning and rain, but once play resumed the Lion offense went right after the Nicholls bullpen.
Right-hander Adam Tarver walked Southeastern catcher
Chris Eades to open the seventh and
Taylor Schwaner followed with a line-drive single to right field. After left-hander Zach Thiac (4-1) struck out the first batter he faced, Breaud hit a slow roller that Thiac failed to unload to the plate in time to get pinch runner
Kennon Menard.
Fisher ripped an RBI single to right, driving in Schwaner, and Breaud scored on a wild pitch to give the Lions the lead once again, 4-3.
Nicholls grabbed the lead right back, taking advantage of two more Lion miscues, scoring three runs in the eighth for a 6-4 lead.
In the eighth, Colonels' reliever Robbie Petty issued a one-out walk to left fielder
Drew Avans before catcher
Sam Roberson ripped a double down the third-base line.
With a pair of runners in scoring position, including the potential tying run, Petty issued a pair of two-out walks to
Jacob Seward and Breaud. The walk to Breaud forced in Avans with the final run of the game, as Southeastern left the bases loaded.
Fisher (3-for-4) and Seward (2-for-4) enjoyed multi-hit performances, while Breaud drove in a pair.
Cedotal (4-3) suffered the loss, allowing six runs on six hits in 7.1 innings of work. Only one run was earned. He fanned five and did not walk a batter.
Thiac, the third of five Nicholls pitchers, earned the win and fellow left-hander Alex Ernestine picked up his first save of the season with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.
Saturday at 6 p.m. the Lions will send sophomore right-hander
Mac Sceroler (3-2, 2.32) to the mound opposite Nicholls junior righty Cole Stapler (2-3, 3.20) at Ray E. Didier Field in Thibodaux, Louisiana.
The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU 90.9 FM, online and through the TuneIn Radio app (search for KSLU). Fans can also keep up with the games through live statistics or by following SLUathletics on Twitter. Links for audio and stats are available on the baseball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
Nicholls 6, Southeastern 5 (Apr 01, 2016 at Hammond, La.)
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Nicholls............... 002 001 030 - 6 6 0 (12-15, 3-7)
Southeastern........ 010 000 310 - 5 9 7 (20-7, 9-1)
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Pitchers: Nicholls - Sinibaldi, Justin; Tarver, Adam (7); Thiac, Zach (7); Petty, Robbie (8); Ernestine, Alex (8) and Tucker, Alex. Southeastern - Cedotal, Kyle; Robinson, Payton (8); Granier, Kade (8) and Eades, Chris; Roberson, Sam.
Win-Thiac, Zach (4-1) Save-Ernestine, Alex (1) Loss-Cedotal, Kyle (4-3) T-3:45 A-1039
HR SLU - Crites, Carson.
Weather: Cloudy 61, W 18 mph
Tarver, A. faced 2 batters in the 7th.
