Box Score THIBODAUX – The crisp, complete execution the Northwestern State baseball team showed in its series-opening win at Nicholls on Friday did not make a repeat appearance Saturday night.
 
The Demons were unable to hold a six-run lead as the homestanding Colonels rallied for a 9-8 win on Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field that evened the series.
 
"We didn't do enough to come away with the win, and we didn't execute in the way of being able to extend the lead or hold them down," third-year head coach Chris Bertrand said. "I thought the entire game changed in the fifth inning when we had a chance to blow the game wide open, and we didn't get the type of competitiveness that's necessary. Then we come back and give up a really big crooked number in the bottom half. After that, we found ourselves unable to recover."
 
The Demons (17-10, 9-5) saw their four-game win streak come to an end with a flurry of runners left on base. Despite pounding out 11 hits and drawing seven walks, Northwestern left 11 men on base.
 
A throwing error by starting pitcher Austin Vargas helped Northwestern build a five-run second inning that was keyed by two-run singles by Joe Siervo and Colton Harrison to take an early lead.
 
Dylan Marionneaux, the reigning Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week, made the lead stand up, allowing one run through the first four innings. With momentum on their side, the Demons appeared poised to truly break the game open in the fifth inning.
 
After loading the bases with no outs, Northwestern's lone runs in the frame came on a two-out, two-run single from Brooks Leonard. Following the near escape, the Colonels (14-14, 6-7) woke up offensively.
 
Keegan Giger's three-run home run cut the lead to two before Greyson Shafer followed with an opposite-field home run on an 0-2 pitch.
 
Kevin Robinson (0-1) wiggled out of the inning without further damage.
 
"Not being able to hold an early lead breathed a bunch of life back into them," Bertrand said. "Whether it be early or late in the game – or in this case the middle part of the game – we have to get back to doing things that are winning things. In some of those moments, whether they be offensively or on the mound, we didn't do winning things."
 
Joe Siervo's leadoff hustle double in the eighth inning and Thomas Marsala III's ensuing RBI single gave the Demons back some of that momentum. An Ethan Menard single and an 0-2 hit by pitch of Colton Harrison again loaded the bases with no outs.
 
However, Eli Waters (1-1) induced a 1-2-3 double play and a flyout to escape further damage before the Colonels took advantage of a walk and a bloop double to tie the game.
 
A reviewed hit by pitch stood to load the bases for Nicholls with one out before a two-out, bases-loaded walk by Carter Jenkins brought in the winning run.
 
 "I'm proud of their fight," Bertrand said. "We just have to be better with our at-bats in certain moments and better with our pitch execution in certain moments."
 
The series concludes Sunday at 1 p.m. with a matchup of right-handers. Trent Hillen (2-1, 5.45) takes the mound for Northwestern against Nicholls' Hayden Luke (4-1, 5.70).
 
Nicholls 9, Northwestern State 8
NSU     050 020 010 – 8 11 0
NICH   001 051 02x – 9 11 2
W – Eli Waters (1-1). L – Kevin Robinson (0-1). 2B – NSU, Joe Siervo. NICH, Matt Melancon. HR – NICH, Keegan Giger (4), Greyson Shafer (5), Caston Thompson (7). Highlights: NSU, Siervo 2-4, 2B, 2 RBIs; Colton Harrison 2-4, 2 RBIs. NICH, Melancon 2-3, 2B, RBI; Nico Rijo-Berger 2-4, RBI; Shafer 2-4, HR, RBI.
Records: Northwestern State 17-10, 9-5; Nicholls 14-14, 6-7.