MONROE, La. — Despite riding a tough three-game losing skid, the Nicholls State University baseball program (3-6, 0-0 SLC) managed to find some offense in Saturday’s series-opening doubleheader against in-state adversary ULM (4-3, 0-0 Sun Belt), initially ousting the host Warhawks via a 5-2 decision before dropping the latter half of the twin bill by a 5-3 margin, all at Warhawk Field in Monroe, La.
The early-afternoon contest got off to a quick start due entirely to Greg Anderberg, as the senior catcher drilled a full count pitch over the right-field wall for his first home run of the year, granting the Red & Gray a 1-0 advantage.
After the Warhawks picked up a lead behind individual runs in both the first and third innings, redshirt freshman Basiel Williams emulated his scoring predecessor with a two-run shot of his own midway through the sixth, pushing the Colonels back ahead for good at a 3-2 margin.
The eighth saw both Anderberg and Williams notch their second and third RBIs of the day, respectively, as the former poked a single into right field to plate Alex Galy before the latter blasted a groundout to deep shortstop, allowing Wes Toups to slide on home for the eventual 5-2 victory.
The second matchup of the day featured a similar start as Nicholls launched out to an early lead, as senior Dillon Belle lifted a single into right center to score Toups for the one-run edge. Once again, however, ULM fought back quickly, notching a pair of runs to close the first behind a sac fly to center field followed by a muffed throw.
The Colonels responded just two frames later, knotting the score behind back-to-back leadoff doubles from Williams and Belle.
The fifth saw the Warhawks collect the eventual game-winning runs, as a sac bunt RBI pushed across one before a single along with a Red & Gray error scratched two more; Nicholls attempted a rally in the eighth, scoring one on Dane Simon RBI single up the middle, but the ULM pitching staff wrapped up the 5-3 win.
KEY STORYLINES & STATISTICS
— With the split, the Colonels move to a 3-6 mark on the season while ULM now sits at a 4-3 record.
— Sophomore Chase Gearing (1-1) kicked off the twin bill with an elite performance across 7.0 frames on the mound, surrendering just two runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out six en route to his first win of the season. Freshman Devin Desandro along with junior Joe Taylor stepped in for a inning apiece of relief, setting down one each on strikes with the latter collecting his second save of the year. Game two saw a tough start out of senior Trever Kilcrease (0-1), as the right-hander accounted for all five Warhawks runs (three earned) while notching three strikeouts through 4.2 innings of work. Reliever Cade Evans took over in the fifth for 2.0 frames, giving up just one hit with four strikeouts, before seniors Beau Balado and Peter Holland wrapped up the matchup with .2 innings each.
— Offensively, Williams and Anderberg handled a majority of the work throughout game one, combining for three hits and five total RBIs, while Belle impressed with a three-hit, two RBI showing in the second contest. Additionally, Toups finished the day with two hits while Simon notched an RBI as well.
