Colonel Pitching dominates in 4-0 opening win over Lindenwood

The Nicholls State University baseball pitching staff combined for a shutout while racking up 16 strikeouts as the Colonels defeated Lindenwood, 4-0, Friday on opening night on Ben Meyer Diamond at Didier Field.

Tyler Theriot picked up the win with eight strikeouts in five innings of work, and Chase Gearing was as impressive with seven punchouts in three innings. Cade Evans tossed the ninth and added the final strikeout.

Nicholls totaled 10 hits in the victory with Wes Toups and Jaden Collura sending solo home runs over the right field wall. Austin Cain and Edgar Alvarez each had two hits and an RBI.

After missing most of the 2022 season with an injury, Toups wasted no time in making an impact as he sent the first pitch he saw out of the park for an early 1-0 lead. Cain doubled the lead later in the inning after sending a rocket off Lion pitcher Preston Salazar for an RBI single. Salazar fanned seven Colonels in four innings but took the loss.

With Theriot cruising through the Lion batting order, Collura gave Nicholls a 3-0 lead with his solo bomb to right in the fourth. The final run came home in the seventh thanks to an Alvarez ground out. Parker Coddou scored on the play after leading off the frame with a single.

In the win, Theriot allowed just three hits and walked one batter. Gearing and Evans combined for four hitless innings.

UP NEXT: Nicholls and Lindenwood continue the series on Saturday with a 6 p.m. first pitch.