SUGAR LAND, Texas – Nicholls wiped out Southeastern Louisiana's four-run ninth with a five-run rally of its own in the bottom of the inning Friday, walking off with a 7-6 win over the Lions at Constellation Field in Day 3 action at the 2018 Southland Conference Baseball Tournament.
 
Nicholls (28-31) reliever Jarred Scott (2-0) picked up the win, retiring the only batter he faced to end the Southeastern (37-22) rally in the ninth. Jared Biddy (2-2) was tagged with the loss, allowing four runs – three earned – in 0.1 innings pitched.
 
Brennan Breaud (2-for-4, RBI) and Taylor Schwaner (2-for-5, 2 RBI) led the Lions at the plate.
 
Southeastern starting pitcher Carlisle Koestler and Colonel starter Jake Bedevian rolled through the first half of the game with ease.
 
The Lions broke a string of 11 consecutive batters retired by Bedevian in the fifth, with Daniel Wasinger drawing a one-out walk. The right-hander hit Evan Pace with a pitch, putting a pair on. Breaud followed with the first of his two singles, driving in Wasinger. After Trenon Trosclair was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Pace scored on Cody Grosse's sacrifice fly to center field.
 
With Southeastern up 2-0, Nicholls struck for an unearned run in the bottom of the inning.
 
The Lions chased Bedevian from the game in the seventh, and threatened to push across a run on reliever Christian Bahlinger, but left a pair of runners on base.
 
Nicholls tied the game in the bottom of the inning. Designated hitter Dillon Belle pulled a solo homer, his fourth of the season, into the Colonel bullpen in right-center field off reliever Peyton Lee.
 
Junior left-hander Payton Robinson worked out of a jam in the eighth and the Lion bats responded in the top of the ninth.
 
Pace reached on an error by the second baseman to lead off the inning. Trosclair drew a one-out walk and Grosse singled in Pace for the lead. A throwing error on a steal attempt by Grosse allowed Trosclair to score. Reliever Zach Autin walked Drew Avans before surrendering a two-run single to Schwaner.
 
The bottom of the inning began the same as the top, with an infield error. After Breaud's fielding error, the Colonels picked up a single and an RBI double off Biddy. A wild pitch scored the second run. With one out, an RBI single pulled Nicholls within a run.
 
Reliever Mason Knopp allowed a single before hitting a batter to load the bases, putting the tying and winning runs in scoring position. With the cleanup hitter at the plate, Knopp got a potential game-ending, double-play ball, but Breaud's relay throw to first sailed wide to the stands and the final two runs scored.
 
Southeastern's starting pitchers dominated opponents in team's three tournament games, allowing one earned run 21.2 innings pitched (0.41 ERA), but the bullpen faltered. Lion relievers combined to allow nine earned runs in just five innings (16.20 ERA).
 
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TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
All Times Central
  
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
9:00 AM - Game 1 - No. 3 Northwestern State 2, No. 6 McNeese 1
12:00 PM - Game 2 - No. 2 Southeastern 4, No. 7 Nicholls 2
4:00 PM - Game 3 - No. 8 New Orleans 4, No. 1 Sam Houston State 3 (10 innings)
7:00 PM - Game 4 - No. 4 Houston Baptist 14, No. 5 Central Arkansas 4 (7 innings)
 
Thursday, May 24, 2018
9:00 AM - Game 5 – Nicholls 10, McNeese 4 (McNeese eliminated)
12:00 PM - Game 6 – Sam Houston State 4, Central Arkansas 2 (Central Arkansas eliminated)
4:00 PM - Game 7 – Northwestern State 5, Southeastern 1
7:00 PM - Game 8 –New Orleans 3, Houston Baptist 1
 
Friday, May 25, 2018
9:00 AM - Game 9 – Nicholls 7, Southeastern 6 (Southeastern eliminated)
12:00 PM - Game 10 - Game 8 Loser vs. Sam Houston State
4:00 PM - Game 11 – Northwestern State vs. Game 9 Winner
7:00 PM - Game 12 - Game 8 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner
 
Saturday, May 26, 2018
9:00 AM - Game 13 - Game 11 Loser vs. Game 11 Winner*#
1:00 PM - Game 14 - Game 12 Loser vs. Game 12 Winner^#
6:00 PM - Championship - Game 13 Winner vs. Game 14 Winner+
 
* GAME 13 WILL BE NECESSARY IF THE WINNER OF GAME 9 ALSO WINS GAME 11.
^ GAME 14 WILL BE NECESSARY IF THE WINNER OF GAME 10 ALSO WINS GAME 12.
# IF ONLY ONE OF THE TWO EARLY GAMES IS NECESSARY ON SATURDAY, IT WILL BE PLAYED AT 1 P.M., WITH THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME STARTING AT 6 P.M.