THIBODAUX, LA (March 9, 2013) - The Nicholls State Colonels scored three times in the first two innings and got eight strong innings from junior Taylor Byrd to beat Sacred Heart 4-1 Saturday night in game two of a three-game series.  SHU senior shortstop John Murphy (Seymour, CT) went three-for-four and knocked in the lone Pioneer run in the loss.

Byrd went eight innings for the Colonels (9-7), allowing just one run on six hits while striking out eight and walking no one for the win.  Right fielder Mike Barba had a hit, stole two bases and scored a run.

The Colonels pushed two runs across in the first inning without a hit.  Sacred Heart (0-7) sophomore starter Nick Morrissey (Howell, NJ) lasted three innings, allowing three runs on three hits with three wild pitches.  Morrissey got in trouble in the first when Barba reached on a hit by pitch.  Barba stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch.  

Morrissey walked Philip Lyons, who then promptly stole second.  A sac fly off the bat of Keith Cormier plated Barba and Lyons followed with the second run on a wild pitch.  In the second, Morrissey gave up back-to-back doubles by first baseman Tyler Duplantis and left fielder David Zorn to give Nicholls a 3-0 lead.

SHU senior Dave Boisture (Highland Hills, NY) came in to relieve Morrissey and kept the Colonels at bay tossing three and a third scoreless innings allowing just two hits.  The Pioneers got two on with no outs to start the eight as second baseman Kenny Byram (Ponte Vedra, FL) and left fielder Jonathan Servilla (Fairfield, CT) reached on an error and single.

Byrd worked out of the jam, allowing just a run on  Murphy single while picking off a pair of runners to squash the threat.  Nicholls got the run back in the bottom half of the inning as Zorn scored off a double to left by center fielder Matt Richard.

The Pioneers and Colonels will close out the three-game series on Sunday afternoon.  First pitch is at 2:00 pm.

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