Colonel pitcher ‘Salt’ provides sweet work out of the bullpen in much-needed win over Lamar

Nicholls starter pitcher Michael Quevedo and head coach Mike Silva were not around to see the end of the Colonels’ game against Lamar on Sunday afternoon on Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray Didier Field.

Nico Saltaformaggio made sure he hung around until the end to see the Colonels’ 3-0 win over Lamar.

After Quevedo struck out River Orsak to end the top of the third inning, the Nicholls pitcher was ejected.

The home plate umpire claimed Quevedo made an obscene gesture toward him and used vulgar language, leading to the ejection.

Silva argued about the ejection and was also thrown out of the game by the home plate umpire.

That brought Saltaformaggio into the game at the start of the fourth inning. He hung around until the end, pitching a gem in his relief role. He pitched the final six innings of the game, allowing no runs on four hits and two walks, with five strikeouts.

“I just wanted to go out there and just compete for my guys. We saw Mikey (Quevedo) get thrown out. Honestly, I don’t think he deserved to get thrown out, but I just wanted to go pick him up. He was out there for the first three innings. He was dealing. I just want to go out there and trust my guys behind me and just get us the win,” Saltaformaggio said.

It was the second-longest outing of the season for Saltaformaggio, who pitched 7 1/3 innings a week earlier against Incarnate Word. It was a much-needed effort and win for Nicholls.

“He did that last week. He was huge for us last. He’s been huge for us all year. He’s started for us in the past. He’s come out of the bullpen. He’s closed games. He’s done everything. There is never a moment for him that’s too big,” said assistant coach Cody Livingston, who took over the club after Silva was ejected.

Salaformaggio (6-4), was the only reliever used by a team that routinely uses a half-dozen to close out a game.

The win allowed Nicholls to stay within one game of Lamar in the Southland race. A loss would have left the Colonels three games behind the Cardinals with three games remaining in the conference season.

Nicholls moved to 14-7 in the SLC and 32-19 overall. Lamar is now 15-6 in the conference and 38-12 overall.

The Colonels close out their conference schedule with a three-game home series against McNeese beginning on Thursday. The Cardinals ended their season with three road games against the University of New Orleans.

“That win (against Lamar on Sunday), we really needed it as a team. Everybody stepped up. It’s huge going into next week and just kind of stay focused and keep doing what we do,” said Saltaformaggio.

“It’s postseason baseball now. We are playing meaningful games in May, so every game is treated like a postseason game. This game, now we move on to the next one. Just one game at a time,” Livingston said.

Saltaformaggio has been used in various roles out of the bullpen throughout the season, ranking from long to short relief. The senior righthander wasn’t expected to be used so soon on Sunday.

“You gotta be ready for everything. That’s what we talk about. Be ready for any circumstance that arrives, and Nico was ready. He came in and did his job and gave us a chance to win the game,” said Livingston.

Saltaformaggio faced serious trouble only twice in his six innings.

The first batter he faced in the fourth inning, Zak Skinner, led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After striking out Jack Schell, he gave up as single between first and second base by Austin Roccaforte, putting runners on the corners. He struck out Tanner Wilson before Ethan Ruiz walked to load the bases.

Weston Peninger hit a short fly ball to right field. Nicholls right fielder Basiel Williams raced forward and made lunging catch to end the threat.

In the eighth inning, Saltaformaggio hit Scott Jones with a pitch with one out. Kanin Dodge followed with a single to center field. After a ground out advanced Jones to third, the Nicholls pitcher got Orsak to ground out to shortstop to end the inning.

“I was just trusting my stuff over the zone and letting my guys behind me play,” Saltaformaggio said of his success.

Nicholls scored its first run of the game in the first inning.

With one out, Edgar Alvarez singled past third base. Following a fielder’s choice and then a single by Garrett Felix, a single to left by Williams drove in the first run of the game.

Nicholls added to its lead one inning later.

MaCrae Kendrick opened the inning with a single past shortstop. A sacrifice bunt by Narvin Booker advanced Kendrick to second base. Kaden Amundson hit a grounder with the Roccaforte, the second baseman, electing to try and get Kendrick out at second base after he drifted from the bag. Kendrick was ruled safe on the play, putting two runners on base.

Parker Coddou hit a grounder between first and second. Lamar first baseman Brayden Evans threw to second base in an attempt to start a potential double play. His errant throw Kendrick to score.

The Colonels made it 3-0 with an add-on run in the bottom of the sixth inning.

With one out, a fielding error and a single to center by Amundson put runners on the corners.

Jackson Cleveland entered the game in relief.

The first batter he faced, Coddou, delivered a sacrifice fly to left field to make it 3-0.

Playing add-on is something the Colonels have lacked on occasion this season.

“Just situational hitting,” Livingston said. “It was a hard day to hit with the wind blowing in from left like that. Just situational hitting, good baserunning. On the hitters’ point, it was incredible baserunning. Just the importance of 90 feet, whether it’s a sac fly, a sac bunt, whatever it may be. They executed.

Lamar starter Hunter Hesseltine (6-2) suffered the loss. He allowed three runs, only one of which was earned, on nine hits, while striking out one in 5 1/3 innings.