NATCHITOCHES – Texas State reliever Louis Head came out of the bullpen and stranded two runners in scoring position with a pair of caught-looking strikeouts to earn his third save Friday night and halt a dramatic Northwestern State comeback from a six-run deficit as the Bobcats held on for a 7-6 Southland Conference baseball win Friday night.

The Demons' comeback was triggered by Colin Bear, who delivered three RBI after NSU entered the bottom of the fifth down 6-0. The Demons (19-31 overall, 14-18 in the Southland) must win the 1 p.m. series finale Saturday to have a chance to get into next week's Southland Tournament.

Texas State (30-22, 18-14) got four hits by second baseman Tyler Sibley. The Bobcats opened a 6-0 lead after three innings and pushed across the eventual game-winner in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Jeff McVaney, scoring Sibley, who had doubled.

After a rocky start, the Demons got a strong bullpen performance by Andrew Adams, who pitched the final six innings and did not allow an earned run.

NSU put four on the board in the bottom of the fifth when Ray Frias led off the inning with a single to centerfield followed by a ground out from Will Watson and single from Jordan Buckley.

With a man on first and third Matt Baca lined one through the left side to score Frias, and Bear doubled deep to right center to score Buckley and Baca

The Demons added two runs in the sixth after singles from Watson and Buckley followed by another RBI base hit by Bear to score Watson. Nick Hinojos later scored Buckley on a fielder's choice.

The Demons left four men on base in the last four innings including the two on second and third in the ninth.

NSU had 14 hits and had five Demons with a multi-hit game: Bear, Watson, Buckley, Hinojos and Nick Purdy.