NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State's Achilles heel all weekend has been the lack of production from the starting pitching.  That didn't change Sunday as Jacob Roark lasted just 4.2 innings and a seven-run seventh inning opened up the flood gates for Missouri State to post a 9-1 win and sweep the series over the Demons.
 
Roark (1-1) allowed two runs on six hits and threw 64 pitches before being lifted with one out in the fifth inning and after he gave up a two-out double followed by a walk.  Andrew Adams came in to close the door on the rally with a strikeout, and got the Bears (9-3) to go down in order in the sixth.
 
But in the seventh, Missouri State got a walk, RBI double, bunt single, RBI single, and a two-run double to go up 6-0 before NSU was able to record the first out in the inning.  Then Brent Seifert cranked a three-run home off of Austin Robson run to give the Bears a 9-0 lead.
 
The Demons (2-9), who have dropped six straight games, got its only run in the bottom of the eighth inning when pinch-hitter Shaun Hoover got a RBI grounder that scored Nick Purdy.
 
Purdy and Nick Doughty led NSU at the plate with two hits each as the Demons only managed seven hits in the game.
 
Seifert and Spiker Helms had identical lines, both going 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored.  Helms hit his third round tripper of the season after a solo homer to lead off the third inning to give the Bears a 2-0 lead.
 
Missouri State got a quality outing from its starter in Cody Schumacher (2-0) who pitched seven scoreless innings and gave up five hits, struck out two and did not walk a batter.
 
The last three pitchers of the game for the Demons – Jamie Bittle, Zach Winchester and J. P. Clifton, combined to throw 2.2 scoreless innings, did not allow a hit and struck out four batters.
 
NSU will be back in action on Wednesday when it visits Southern for a single game match up.  The Demons return home next weekend where they will open Southland Conference play against McNeese State in a three-game series.