THIBODAUX, La. – HBU dropped the first game, 2-1, then fell in the second game in 12 innings, 5-4, as Nicholls swept Saturday's Southland Conference doubleheader at Ray E. Didier Field.
In the second game, the Colonels rallied from a 4-1 deficit and held the Huskies scoreless over the final five innings.
Freshman shortstop
Sebastian Trinidad went 2-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs for the Huskies (4-18, 2-9 SLC), while senior leftfielder
Lane Botkin went 1-for-4 with a double and scored twice. Senior rightfielder
Brandon Bena was 1-for-5, driving in a run and scoring one.
Sophomore righthander
Javan Smitherman (0-1) took a tough loss, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits with four strikeout and four walks in 5.2 innings. Sophomore starter
Tyler Zarella gave up three runs on four hits with eight strikeouts and four walks in 6.0 innings.
Dane Simon went 1-for-5 with a double, an RBI and scored a run for the Colonels (11-11, 8-3). Austin Cain went 2-for-5 and drove in a pair of runs.
Nico Saltaformaggio earned the win, shutting HBU out on three hits with five strikeouts and a walk over the last four innings. Starter Devin Desandro allowed four runs, two earned, on five hits with seven strikeouts and a walk in 8.0 innings.
The Colonels loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the 12
th and the Huskies were given a chance to escape when Erick Hernandez fouled out to the catcher, but Wes Toups drew a walk to plate the decisive run.
Nicholls had jumped on the board in the first on Simon's RBI groundout, but HBU answered in the top of the second on Trinidad's squeeze bunt.
The Huskies took the lead on Trinidad's RBI infield single in the fourth and added another run in the frame when Botkin scored on a passed ball. HBU extended its lead to 4-1 in the fifth on Bena's RBI single to rightcenter.
Cain came through with a two-run single in the sixth, then Xane Washington tied the game, 4-4, with a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
In the first game, HBU outhit Nicholls, 7-3, but left six men on base.
Senior third baseman
Nathan Soriano went 2-for-3 with a double and scored a run, while sophomore catcher
Dawson Woods drove in the Huskies' lone tally.
Senior righthander
Jacob Coats (0-4) went the distance, allowing two runs on three hits with four strikeouts and three walks for HBU.
Simon went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs for the Colonels.
Trever Kilcrease (1-2) picked up the win, giving up one run on seven hits with a strikeout and two walks in five innings, while Tyler Theriot notched his first save, tossing two perfect innings with one strikeout.
Simon delivered a two-run double in the fourth, plating Toups and JD Davis for a 2-0 lead.
Soriano led off the fifth with a double and scored on Woods' RBI single.
The series concludes with a 2 p.m. first pitch Sunday.
