SAN ANTONIO – Northwestern State responded after Wednesday's lack-luster performance at LSU by executing in all phases to lead it to a 9-4 win over Texas-San Antonio Friday night in the first game of a Southland Conference baseball series.

The win improved the Demons' record to 6-11 on the season and moved them to 3-1 in conference play and tied for first place with Central Arkansas losing at McNeese State. UTSA fell to 9-9 and 1-3.

Colin Bear (2-2) threw 6.2 innings and gave up four runs on eight hits with a walk and five strikeouts in notching his second consecutive win as Joe Scanio came in to shut the door on the final 2.1 innings by not allowing a run or hit and striking out four.

“I'm very pleased with how we played tonight,” said head coach J.P. Davis. “We came out and played very aggressive.”

Offensively, NSU had just six hits in the game as Ray Frias collected two of those to go along with two RBI. His solo home run in the eighth inning put a stamp on the win. But despite the low hit total, NSU executed in other areas by drawing seven walks, stealing six bases, laying down two sacrifice bunts, getting a sac fly, and leaving just four runners on base. But most importantly, the Demons had an answer for every Roadrunner score.

“Offensively we did a really good job at the plate,” said Davis. “The xox score was deceptive because we only got six hits. What we did do well was work their pitcher and work the count. We did a great job of moving runners around with the sac bunt, grounder to the right side, then a hit to score. We also did a great job of stealing bases and create things to happen. We had seven stolen bases in seven attempts through the first five innings.

“But more than anything, when you look at the line score, every time UTSA scored, we answered with a score, and that was hugh.”

NSU got on the board first with two runs in the second inning on a Todd Wallace RBI grounder and a single by Fria up the middle. UTSA quickly responded and tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a Matthew James RBI single to score Mike Warren following his lead-off double. James scored when R.J. Perucki hit into a 643 double play.

The Demons went up 4-2 in the third after Drew Helenihi led off by reaching on a throwing error by the UTSA second baseman. After Jordan Buckley struckout for the first out of in inning, Nick Purdy drew the first of his three walks. He and Helenihi slid in safely at second and third on a double steal and another error by the Roadrunner second baseman scored Helenihi as Purdy moved to third to give the Demons a 3-2 lead. Purdy then scored on a sacrifice fly by Will Watson to put NSU up 4-2.

A RBI grounder by Mitch Huckabay scored Frias to increase the lead to 5-2 after four innings, and in the fifth, a two-run single by Nick Hinojos added some cushion to the lead before the Roadrunners got a run in the sixth and seventh innings.

Casey Selsor (3-2) took the loss after he allowed seven runs, five of those earned, on four hits in 4.2 innings pitched. He also walked four and struckout two.

The Demons will go for the series win on Saturday when Jacob Roark takes the mound in the 2 p.m. game.