Four Errors Doom Cajuns vs. Nicholls State, 3-1

In Tuesday's game against McNeese State, Louisiana committed four errors, but great bullpen work and timely hitting led to an extra inning win.

Wednesday night against Nicholls State great pitching couldn't overcome four errors against the team with the eighth best ERA in the country.

All of the runs allowed by the Cajuns were earned as the Colonels defeated Louisiana 3-1 before 4,100 at M. L. "Tigue" Moore Field.

Nicholls (13-10-1) got on the board in the first inning against UL starter Connor Toups (1-1) in the first inning when Darius Knight singled with one out.  Knight reached second on a hit and run grounder by Kyle Reese scored when second baseman Kennon Fontenot booted Justin Smith's ground ball.

In the third inning, Nicholls struck again on a single by Justin Holt, a sacrifice by Knight and an error by third baseman Brenn Conrad to make the score 2-0.

The Cajuns would get their only run in the fourth.  After starter Ryan Deemes retired the first nine hitters, Blake Trahan led off the fourth inning with a single.  Two outs later, Nick Thurman singled and Stefan Trosclair followed with a double down the left field line to score Trahan and send Thurman to third.  But Deemes got out of the inning by coaxing a fly ball from the bat of Dylan Butler.

The score stayed 2-1 until the sixth when Tanner Vandevere singled.  Christian Correa then singled and the runners moved up on a throwing error by Joe Robbins.  Seth Stevens hit a sacrifice fly to score Vandevere with the game's final run.

The Cajuns had more chances to score, but never could come through with the timely hit.  Robbins doubled with one out in the sixth off winning pitcher Cole Stapler (1-0).  Reliever Zach Thiac walked Nick Thurman with two out, but Jason McDonald came out of the bullpen to strike out Trosclair and end the threat.

The Cajuns (13-9) threatened again in the ninth against relief ace Stuart Holmes when Trosclar led off with a walk.  Butler flied out but pinch hitter Tyler Girouard singled and Brian Mills had an infield hit to load the bases.  Pinch hitter Derek Herrington hit a chopper to first base resulting in a force at home and Trahan lined to right field to end the game.

Toups took the hard luck loss, pitching six innings and giving up eight hits and three unearned runs.  He did not walk a batter and struck out two.  Nick Zaunbrecher and Reagan Bazar kept the Colonels off the board wtihout a hit in the final three inninngs.

Stapler picked up the win with 1.1 innings of relief, allowing one hit with two strikeouts. Holmes recorded his ninth save of the season.

The Cajuns return to "The Tigue" this weekend as Arkansas State comes in for a three game conference series beginning Friday evening at 6pm.

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