THIBODAUX – The longer he went Saturday night, the better
Ridge Heisler felt.
And the results proved as much.
Heisler delivered the Northwestern State baseball team's first complete game of the season, limiting Nicholls to seven hits as the Demons evened their first Southland Conference series of the season at a game apiece with a 3-1 win at Ray E. Didier Field.
"It felt amazing," Heisler said. "I haven't done that since last year when I was in junior college. Starting about the seventh, I felt like I was going all the way, no matter what (coach
Bobby Barbier) says. I'm going the rest of the way."
Heisler (3-0) needed 115 pitches and worked in and out of traffic on the bases throughout a game in which the Demons (8-7, 1-1) never trailed but never led by more than two runs.
The Colonels (4-11, 1-1) put runners on base in each of the first six innings against Heisler, who did not face the minimum in an inning until
Tyler Smith started a 9-3 double play to end the sixth.
"Nothing changes, you still have to pound the zone to get outs," Heisler said. "(Runners) can be on first or on third, you just have to continue to pound the zone."
With both Heisler and Nicholls starter Cayden Hatcher (0-1) filling up the strike zone, Saturday's matchup had the feel of a series opener.
The Demons scratched out single runs in the first, third and seventh innings against Hatcher, who struck out 10 without walking a batter.
For the second straight game, the Demons struck first as
J.P. Lagreco singled home
David Fry with a first-inning single, marking the second straight game in which Lagreco knocked in a first-inning run.
Fry scored again, moving him to within one of the Northwestern State career top 10, in the third when
Luke Watson delivered a two-out single to score Fry, who doubled with two outs.
Heisler kept the Colonels scoreless until Lee Clark's solo home run in the fourth inning. From there, the Demons left-hander stifled the Colonels through the final five-plus innings to give Northwestern State its first complete game since May 14, 2017, when
Cullen McDonald tossed a complete game at Abilene Christian.
"He's the story of the night," second-year head coach
Bobby Barbier said. "He was tremendous. When he got into a little bit of trouble, he mixed pitches. We trust Ridge. He's tough. He throws multiple pitches for strikes. There was no doubt after we got the double-play ball in the eighth, he was going to finish the game. His pitch count was creeping up a bit, but that kept him in the game longer."
Heisler helped himself defensively, cutting down three lead runners on balls hit back to him, including one at home in the third inning.
Hatcher was nearly Heisler's equal, retiring 10 straight Demons before Smith led off the seventh with a single. After an
Austin Stegall sacrifice bunt,
Caleb Ricca doubled to the left-center field gap to score Smith with a key insurance run.
"Their pitcher was great and throws a ton of strikes," Barbier said. "We got away from the plan a little bit today. Big-time hit from Caleb, who got a two-strike breaking ball and did a good job of staying on it. That one-run lead, especially when they hit that home run earlier, can be a little tense. When you extend that lead, guys can relax and play a little more."
Fry doubled twice, bringing his career total to 56, moving him within three of Brandon Morgan's school record. Watson went 2-for-4 with his third-inning RBI single for the Demons.
Joey Morales was the lone Nicholls batter to record more than one hit, going 2-for-3.
The series concludes Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. Freshman right-hander
Robert Burke (0-2, 6.57) will start for Northwestern State while Nicholls has yet to name a starter.
Northwestern State 3, Nicholls 1
NWST 101 000 100 – 3 7 0
NICH 000 100 000 – 1 7 0
W –
Ridge Heisler (3-0). L – Cayden Hatcher (0-1). 2B – NWST,
David Fry 2,
Caleb Ricca. NICH, Xane Washington. HR – NICH, Lee Clark (2). Highlights: NWST, Fry 2-4;
Luke Watson 2-4. NICH, Joey Morales 2-3.
Records: Northwestern State 8-7, 1-1; Nicholls 4-11, 1-1.
