Colonel baseball drops first game of season with 3-2 loss at Tulane

A rally attempt by Nicholls in the top of the eighth inning came up a run short as the Colonels lost their first game of the season, falling 3-2 against Tulane on Tuesday night in New Orleans.

Nicholls was trailing 3-1 in the top of the eighth when Colonel first baseman Edgar Alvarez greeting new Tulane pitcher Trey Cehajic with a leadoff double to right field.

With one out, Alvarez advanced to third on a ground out to first base by Garrett Felix. A throwing error by Tulane third baseman Michael Lombardi on a ball hit by Drake Anderson, pulled Brady Marget, the Green Wave first baseman off the bag.

Anderson eluded a tag attempt by Marget and was safe, allowing Alvarez to score an unearned run. Basiel Williams followed with a single, but Cehajic got Narvin Booker to fly out to center field to end the threat.

Cehajic retired the Colonels in order in the ninth inning to earn his second save of the year as the teams each moved to 3-1 on the season.

Henry Shuffler (1-0) got the win. The second of three Tulane pitchers on the night, Schuffler allowed no runs on no hits and one strikeout in 1 2/3 innings.

Devin Desandro (1-1), the second of six pitchers used by Nicholls in the game, suffered the loss. He allowed one run on two hits in 1 1/3 innings of work.

Nicholls starter Dylan Farley worked 4 2/3 innings. He allowed one run on four hits, one walk, and hit a batter while striking out eight.

The Colonels and Green Wave each had two hits in the first inning but failed to score due to outstanding plays the teams’ respective left fielders.

With two outs in the top of the first inning, Nicholls designated hitter Aaron Biediger doubled to left field. Felix followed with a hit past third base. Biediger was waved home but was nailed at the plate by Tulane left fielder Gavin Schulz to end the inning.

In the bottom half of the inning Brock Slaton led off with a walk and advanced to second on a single to left by Teo Banks. Marget dropped in a bloop single to short left field. Felix, the Nicholls left fielder, gunned down Slaton at the plate for the first out of the inning.

Farley struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning.

Lombardi led off the bottom of the third inning with a double to left-center field. He was stranded there when Farley struck out the next three Green Wave hitters.

Tulane struck first in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Following a leadoff single by Schulz, a sacrifice bunt, and a strikeout, Farley hit Slaton with a pitch. Desandro entered the game in relief and gave up a single to Banks, scoring Schulz for a 1-0 Tulane lead.

Nicholls answered quickly, scoring a run in the top of the sixth inning.

With Parker Coddou on base with a leadoff single and one out, the Colonels executed a hit-and-run. Coddou took off from third base, with Biediger hitting behind him, putting runners on the corners. Felix followed with a single, his third hit of the game, driving in the tying run.

Tulane regained the lead with a run in the bottom of the sixth.

Nathan Rose led off the inning with a double to left field. After a ground out advanced Rose to third base, he scored on a sacrifice fly by Connor Rasmussen for a 2-1 Green Wave lead.

Tulane added a run in the seventh when Marcus Cline led off the inning with a double to left field off of new Nicholls pitcher Nico Saltaformaggio, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Slaton.

The Colonels are back in action Wednesday when they host Dillard at 6 p.m. at Ben Meyer Field at Raymond Didier Field.