THIBODAUX — Nicholls starting pitcher Brandon Jackson’s complete game shutout helped lead the Colonels to a series sweep by a score of 6-0 over the McNeese baseball team on Sunday afternoon at Ray E. Didier Field.

The weekend sweep helped the Colonels pull within one game of the eighth-place Cowboys in conference play.

Jackson (2-0) allowed only six hits while striking out five batters and walking two in the complete game. McNeese starter Trey McGee (2-4) absorbed the loss, allowing four earned runs on 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings of work.

Designated hitter Michael Sullivan led the Cowboys (19-18, 6-9 SLC) with two hits while four other McNeese batters each contributed a hit.

The Colonels (21-20, 5-10 SLC) got out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning as center fielder Matt Richard led off the inning with a single and two errors allowed Richard to advance to third base before plating after a Leo Vargas sacrifice fly.

Nicholls produced three runs in the third inning with RBIs off the bats of Vargas, Jackson and left fielder Keith Cormier, extending the lead to 4-0.

Richard scored again after a fifth inning single by Nicholls second baseman Phillip Lyons and Cormier put the exclamation point on the sweep with an eighth inning solo home run, his third of the week.

McNeese returns to action Tuesday, hosting in-state rival Louisiana-Lafayette at Cowboy Diamond. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.

(MGNonline)