Colonel baseball team continually had the answers in 9-6 win over EIU

The Nicholls baseball team always seemed to have the quick answer in the Colonels’ 9-6 win Friday night over Eastern Illinois University in the opener of a three-game series at Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray Didier Field.

Whenever Nicholls fell behind EIU, the Colonels quickly answered in the bottom of the inning to either tie the game or regain the lead.

The first occurrence came in the third inning when Nicholls tied the game 4-4 with two runs. The second time was the one that put the Colonels on top for good in the bottom of the sixth.

After the Panthers scored a run in the top of the sixth inning to grab a one-run lead, Nicholls came up with three runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Basiel Williams belted the first pitch of the bottom of the sixth inning over the wall in right center field to tie the game.

The Nicholls right fielder said he didn’t go to the plate looking for any pitch in particular.

“That’s when I’m at my best when I’m not thinking. That’s something I had to grow into and had to learn. It’s just going up there and reacting and just trusting in my ability and what God blessed me with,” Williams said.

“He’s on time,” Nicholls coach Mike Silva said of Williams. “First pitch, the guy (the EIU pitcher) tries to get ahead in the count. He (Williams) jumps on it and it kind of reignites our dugout. Our guys felt some momentum back, but it was still a battle down there towards the end.”

With two outs, Parker Coddou walked. He advanced to third on a double to left by Edgar Alvarez. Aaron Biediger followed with a single, scoring Coddou and moving Alvarez to third. Biediger stole second base and a throwing error by Grant Lashure, the EIU catcher, allowed Alvarez to score for an 8-6 Nicholls lead.

“Basil Williams ties the ball game first-pitch homer off their reliever. That’s huge to get back in our dugout,” Silva said.

Each team added a run in the eighth inning for the 9-6 final.

Nico Saltaformaggio (2-0), the second of four Nicholls pitchers in the game, picked up the win, allowing two runs on five hits, while striking out two. Haden Luke got the final out of the game to pick up his second save of the season.

“I thought Saltaformaggio threw good. (Gavin) Galy came out of the bullpen, minus the walk in the ninth with a three-run lead and he comes back and gets two punchouts, and obviously, Haden Luke coming in and shutting the door,” Silva said.

Nicholls starter Jacob Mayers worked the first five innings, allowing four runs on three hits and three walks, while striking out nine Panther batters.

Christian Carew (0-1), the third of five EIU pitchers, suffered the loss. He gave up three runs on three hits and one walk, while striking out one.

After Mayers struck out the side in the top of the first inning, EIU starter Tyler Conklin struck out two in the bottom half of the inning.

Conklin was the victim of an unearned run in the first inning. With one out, Alvarez reached base on a fielding error by Panthers second baseman Michael O’Conor. With two outs, Garrett Felix doubled to left to score Alvarez.

Nicholls added a run in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Narvin Booker Jr. before EIU exploded for four runs in the top of the third inning.

The Panthers scored all four runs with two outs by stringing together three-consecutive hits.

Following a walk to Tyler Castro, Trentin Pallas followed with a bloop hit over second base to score Eil Hill and Castro. Hill had walked to open the inning.

A double to left by O’Conor scored Pallas to give EIU a 3-2 lead. Lucas Loos followed with a triple off the walk to center field, scoring O’Conor.

Mayers got Cole Gober to strike out on a called third strike to end the inning and EIU holding a 4-2 lead.

Nicholls quickly answered with two outs in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game.

Leadoff hitter Parker Coddou led off the inning with a triple to left center field. Alvarez followed with a sacrifice fly to get the Colonels to within one run.

With two outs, Felix hit a grounder off the end of the bat that trickled along the first-base line. Conklin’s hurried throw to first base was off the mark, allowing Felix to reach base.

Felix stole second base and advanced to third on the play on a throwing error by Lashure, the EIU catcher. Drake Anderson followed with a single past second base to score Felix to tie the game.

“You go up and then you are down. Momentum is a real thing,” Silva said. “We answered all night.

“We feel like those runs, they (the Panthers) had some good swings in there but we thought there were two plays we could make in the outfield, No. 1. No. 2, there were two walks that got them going and their guys kind of settled in and took some really good swings against Jacob. He was getting behind in counts. It was huge for him to come back those next two innings to get those two zeroes in the fourth and fifth to finish up his night and stop their momentum.

After his tough outing in the third, Mayers struck out the side in the top of the fourth.

“He’s tough. We talk about toughness all the time. It’s didn’t go the way he wanted to, he just kept pitching. He got a little sharper there in the next two innings and got us back in the dugout, which is outstanding, and then we turned it over to the bullpen.

The Colonels pulled ahead 5-4 in the bottom of the fourth by manufacturing a run. Cade Crosby walked to open the inning and Williams followed with a single to right field. A sacrifice bunt by Booker advanced both runners, with Crosby scoring on a sacrifice fly by Kaden Amundson.

“That’s the thing that we have in our lineup. We can run, we can hit for power, we can do everything. As we stay within ourselves and don’t make the moment bigger than what it is, then we can play with anybody,” said Williams.

“We get them on, we get them over, we get them in,” Silva said. “They made a mistake. We took advantage of it and guys are just doing their jobs.

“I think sometimes we’re still going up there trying to a little bit too much early in the season. I thought when we were in the strike zone tonight, we were really good. We started to expand sometimes and then I thought we took some really good swings at times and hitter counts and then other times in plus counts, I thought there was a little bit more to be desired there. But look, they’re competing. It’s an emotional game.”