Colonels unable to contain Nebraska hitters in three-game series sweep

The Nicholls baseball team was unable to contain the big bats of Nebraska in a three-game series in Lincoln, Neb., and that was true to form in the series finale on Sunday afternoon.

Nebraska (13-5) pounded out 14 hits in an 11-4 win Sunday that allowed the Cornhuskers to sweep the series. The Cornhuskers produced 11 hits each in the first two games of the series.

Huskers first baseman Will Walsh continued to be a nemesis of Colonels pitching. He hit a three-run homer as part of a four-run fourth inning that allowed Nebraska to rally back from an early 3-0 deficit.

Playing the final two games of the series, Walsh picked up a total of five hits in eight at-bats, scored five runs, hit two homers, and drove in eight runs. In Nebraska’s 16-0 win in the second game, he hit a first-inning grand slam.

Nicholls (17-6) had taken a 3-0 lead in Sunday’s game by scoring one run in the second inning and two in the third.

The run in the second inning came on a sacrifice fly by Brayden Kuriger.

A walk by Parker Coddou and a double by Edgar Alvarez to open the inning set up a two-run double MaCrae Kendrick for the Colonels’ 3-0 lead.

After Walsh hit his game-tying home run in the fourth, the Cornhuskers added another run in the inning on a fielding error – one of three errors committed by Nicholls in the game.

Nicholls would add only one more run in the seventh inning on Cade Crosby, batting with runners on the corners, hit into a run-scoring double play.

The run for Nicholls came after the Cornhuskers produced five runs in the bottom of the sixth on a run-scoring double by Rhett Stokes, a two-run single by Riley Silva, another run-scoring double by Joshua Overbeek, and a run-scoring single by Josh Caron.

Devin Desandro (2-2), the second of five pitchers used by Nicholls, suffered the loss. In 2 2/3 innings, he allowed five earned runs on six hits, while striking out one.

Jackson Brockett (1-0), the second of five hurlers for Nebraska, allowed no runs on two hits and one walk, while striking out two in two innings of work.

Nebraska 16, Nicholls 0: Not wanting to be involved in a one-run affair like the series opener, the Cornhuskers scored five runs in the first inning and five in the third to quickly put away the Colonels in the second game of the series Saturday afternoon.

Nebraska also scored one run in the second inning, one in the fourth, and four in the fifth.

Meanwhile, Nicholls was limited to four hits.

Nicholls loaded the bases twice in the game but couldn’t score.

In the top of the first, two walks and a Gerardo Villarreal single loaded the bases, but Nebraska starter Brett Sears struck out Drake Anderson to end the threat.

Nicholls picked up two more base hits in the fifth inning and loaded the bases with two outs, but Villarreal grounded out to end the inning.

The other hit for Nicholls came on a leadoff double by Coddou but he was stranded at second base.

Nebraska got all the runs it would need in the bottom of the first inning.

Two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases before Nicholls starter Jack Nelson hit a second batter to force in a run. Walsh followed with a grand slam to make it 5-0.

After Nebraska added a run in the second inning, the Cornhuskers produced five more in the third. Big blows among the five hits in the inning were a run-scoring double by Walsh and a two-run single by Stokes on the way to a 16-0 win.

Nelson (0-1), the first of eight pitchers, suffered the loss. He lasted only one inning, allowing six runs on three hits and two walks, with two strikeouts.

The eight Nicholls pitchers allowed a total of 11 hits.

Sears (3-0) picked up the win. He allowed three hits and five walks, while striking out six. Jalen Worthley pitched the final three innings to pick up his first save.

Nebraska 7, Nicholls 6: Caron, the Cornhuskers catcher, drove in five runs as Nebraska edged the Colonels in the opening game of the three-game series.

Caron hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning to break a scoreless tie and produced a two-run single in the seventh.

After Caron’s home run, the Colonels answered with two runs in the top of the fifth inning.

Anderson came up with a one-out double and advanced to third on a wild pitch, setting up a run-scoring single by Basil Williams. With Williams on third base, Kaden Amundson reached on an error by the Nebraska right fielder. Amundson was out at second base on the play, but Williams scored to pull the Colonels to within one run.

Nebraska got one of the runs back in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Cole Evans.

The Cornhuskers added a run in the sixth before Nicholls countered with three runs in the seventh.

A sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Villarreal drove in the first run. A two-run double by Collura to tie the game 5-5.

Caron’s two-run single in the seventh put Nebraska back on top at 7-5.

Nicholls scored the game’s final run in the top of the eighth.

Two walks and a single loaded the bases with two outs. Jaden Collura struck out swinging but a wild pitch by Nebraska pitcher Mason McConnaughey on the third strike allowed to reach and enabled all runners to advance, including Kendrick from third, who reached base earlier in the inning on a fielder’s choice.

Dylan Farley (1-1), the second of three pitchers used by Nicholls, picked up the loss. He allowed three runs on three hits and one walk, with one strikeout in 1 1/3 innings.

Evan Borst (2-0), the third of six pitchers used by Nebraska picked up the win. He allowed one run on two walks, while striking out one in two-thirds of an inning.

Casey Daiss picked up his fourth save of the season. He allowed no runs in one inning of work.