THIBODAUX, La. – A matchup of the top two teams in the Southland Conference didn't disappoint Friday night as Nicholls defeated Lamar University, 5-4, in 11 innings. The heavyweight tilt marked the second-straight year that the series opener between the two teams went to extra innings (the two played a 19-inning game last season in Beaumont).
 
Neither team gained more than a one-run advantage and the game saw five lead changes and four ties.
 
Senior Brooks Caple gave the Cardinals another quality start going 6.0 innings allowing two runs on two hits with three strikeouts but walked four Colonels. He was one of five Cardinals to take the mound Friday as Peyton Havard (2-3) suffered the loss allowing a run in the bottom half of the 11^th.
 
Nicholls went with Jake Mayers who battled his way through 4.2 on 123 pitches, allowing two runs on three hits with three strikeouts but he was also hurt by walks. Mayers allowed nine free passes on the night and several other Cardinals worked full counts.
 
Nicholls scored their five runs on nine hits and was charged with two errors, while LU scored four runs on six hits with an error. Neither team scored more than a run in any inning with the Cardinals scoring in the fourth, fifth, seventh and ninth innings and Nicholls answering with solo runs in the first, fifth, seventh, eighth and 11^th.
 
Four different Cardinals recorded hits Friday led by multi-hit efforts from Zak Skinner (2-for-4, RBI) and Jack Schell (2-for-4). Austin Roccaforte was 0-for-1 with three walks and drove in two runs, in addition to making a highlight reel catch in center in extras.
 
Nicholls took the first lead of the game with a solo run in the bottom half of the first and the Colonels held a 1-0 lead until the top of the fourth inning. Roccaforte led off the inning with a five-pitch walk but Nicholls got the next two Cardinals out. Moments later Roccaforte advanced to second on a wild pitch and came around to score on a single to right from Kanin Dodge.
 
Lamar took its first lead of the game in the next inning – an inning that again started with a walk to the Cardinals' leadoff hitter and again Nicholls got the next two batters out. After Nicholls got two outs on the board, Skinner and Schell drew walks to load the bases bringing Roccaforte to the plate. Roccaforte walked on four pitches to give Lamar a 2-1 lead.
 
Unfortunately, the lead didn't last long as Nicholls would respond with a solo run in its half of the inning. Lamar again grabbed the lead with a run in the top half of the seventh only to see Nicholls again answer with a run in its half.
 
The two teams reversed roles in the bottom half of the eighth. Nicholls went to their bench sending MaCrae Kendrick into pitch hit and he rewarded his head coach with a home run over the center field wall. Similar to how Nicholls had treated Lamar twice earlier in the game, the Cardinals didn't allow their hosts to enjoy the lead long answering right back in their next at-bat. The Cardinals got a leadoff double from Tanner Wilson who eventually came around to score on a grounder from Skinner. Nicholls was unable to respond in its half of the 10^th sending the game into extra innings.
 
Unfortunately, Nicholls walked it off in the 11^th inning with a leadoff home run to Drake Anderson.
 
Despite the loss, the Cardinals maintain a 1.0-game lead in the standings heading into game two of the series. The second game is set for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch from Ray E. Didier Field. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.