NATCHITOCHES – Missouri State opened up a close game with four runs in the sixth inning, then held off a late Northwestern State charge to take the first game of a three-game baseball series, 8-3, Friday night at Brown-Stroud Field.
 
The loss was the fourth straight suffered by the Demons (2-7) while Missouri State (7-3) on for the second consecutive game and seventh win its last eight games.
 
Joe Scanio (1-2) was hit for his second straight loss after he allowed four runs, all earned, on three hits in 4.1 innings of work.  He entered the game ranked second in the Southland Conference in strikeouts and only fanned three while walking five.
 
“Joe (Scanio is throwing too many pitches,” said head coach J.P. Davis.  “He's got good stuff but he walks five guys.  That right there was the difference of the game.  You look up and he's at 100 pitches through four innings.  You can't expect to win on Friday nights when your guy goes out there and throws 100 pitches through four innings.”
 
Jacob Williford relieved Scanio with one out in the fifth and it didn't take long for the Bears to jump on him as they plated four runs in an inning and a third to open up an 8-0 lead through six innings.
 
“The problem is, we're not making pitches with guys on base,” said Davis.  “We've got guys set up to go, get them off the field without any damage, and we leave the ball out over the middle of the plate.  That's just a lack of concentration.”
 
The game was scoreless through two innings but MSU got two runs in the third off of three hits.  The Bears got another two runs in the fifth when they loaded the bases on three walks, then Brent Seifert got a two-run double to up the lead to 4-0.
 
In the sixth, Trey Massenberg led off the frame with a single to right center, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and third on a single by Spiker Helms.  A sqeeze bunt attempt by Kevin Medrano wasn't successful as Williford fielded the ball and threw out Massenberg for the second out of the inning, but the Bears got back-to-back RBI singles by Spiker Helms and Brock Chaffin and a two-run double from Seifert, all with two outs, to increase the lead to 8-0.
 
The Demons tried to get something going in the seventh inning when they loaded the bases with no outs, but a hard chopper to third by shortstop Mitch Huckabay was gloved by Seifert who tagged third base for the force out and short hopped his throw to first to try to get Huckabay.  The ball got away from MSU's first baseman as a second runner scored for the Demons to cut the gap to 8-2.
 
On the errant throw, Huckabay rounded first and got caught in a rundown and was tagged out for the second out of the inning.  Kevin Sanford reached on an throwing error by Seifert and advanced to second off a wild pitch, and Will Watson got a double to right field to score Sanford and cut the gap to 8-3.
 
Nick Petree (2-1) got the win after he threw seven innings and allowed three runs, one earned, on three hits with four walks and five strikeouts.  Grant Gordon closed the door on the final two innings as he did not allow a base runner and struck out two.
 
Watson had two of NSU's three hits as he finished 2-for-4 with a RBI.
 
The Bears, who put 10 hits up on the board, had five players with two hits each and Seifert leading the way with four RBI.
 
The series will continue on Saturday at 5 p.m. with Colin Bear taking the mound for the Demons.