Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2

BATON ROUGE – The Northwestern State softball team rolled over Southern 7-2 in the first game of the doubleheader, and used a vital eight-run sixth inning rally to overcome a five run deficit and win 8-6 in the night cap on Wednesday at Lady Jaguar Field.

Cassandra Barefield and Brianna Rodriguez recorded hits in each game to extend their hitting streaks to nine and eight games, respectively. Kelee Grimes (5-5) earned the win for NSU (10-13) in the first game, while Kylie Roos (3-7) picked up the win over the Jaguars (3-11) in the second.

The Lady Demons trailed 5-0 heading into the sixth inning in the second game when they tallied eight runs on seven hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch to take control of the contest.

NSU loaded up the bases with no outs to start the frame, and Brittany Virgoe came through with a base-clearing three-RBI triple to cut Southern's lead to 5-3. After Roos walked, Cheyenne DeLaGarza singled to score Virgoe to make it 5-4.

With two outs, Tara McKenney kept the rally going with a RBI double to score Roos to tie the game 5-5. Blair Beard followed with a RBI single to score DeLaGarza, and Brianna Rodriguez capped it off with a two-RBI double to score McKenney and Beard, 8-5.

“We had runners on base in the two previous innings and hit the ball sharply, but right at defenders,” said head coach Donald Pickett. “We just kept getting runners on base, and when Brittany came up with the bases loaded, she had a good pitch to drive and hit one into the gap in right center to break the ice. This relaxed the hitters after her and we were able to put together one good swing after the next.”

McKenney finished the contest three-for-five to register her ninth multi-hit game of the season to lead the team. Rodriguez and DeLaGarza each finished two-for-four.

Roos pitched a complete-game with eight strikeouts, allowing just two earned runs to pick up the win.

“Our kids showed a lot of character tonight and stayed with it when we were down. We kept fighting, gained momentum and came through with big hits when we needed them,” Pickett said.

In the first game, the Lady Demons got on the board first in the third inning when Rodriguez and Barefield hit back-to-back doubles with two outs.

 

The Jaguars immediately responded in the bottom of the inning when two singles sandwiched around a double to give Southern a 2-1 advantage.

NSU broke the game open in the next frame, plating four runs on four hits and an error. With one out and runners on second and third, Tiffany Ward hit a RBI single to tie the game 2-2. McKenney singled to leftfield and Beard smacked a two-RBI hit to leftfield to get the Lady Demons back ahead, 4-2. McKenney scored the final run of the inning on a passed ball.

In the sixth, Ward walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. McKenney brought her home with a RBI double to centerfield to make it 6-2. With two outs, Rodriguez singled to leftfield to score McKenney to solidify the 7-2 win.

Grimes struck out five batters in four innings, allowing just two earned runs. Brooke Boening picked up her first save of the year, pitching three scoreless innings and striking out three.

The Jaguars scored four runs in the first inning of the second game on three hits and a two-run error. They tacked on another in the second on a RBI double by Gailyn Thibeaux, and got their final run in the seventh on a solo home run from Harley Roller. Gabrielle McDaniel (0-7) pitched the final two innings and took the loss.

The Lady Demons will look to continue their stellar play on Friday when they play the first of two games against Sam Houston State at 6 p.m. to open conference play.