Box Score
NATCHITOCHES – Zach Krebs worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam without allowing a run in the top of the fifth inning to help spark the Northwestern State baseball team past Grambling State 11-5 Friday night in Brown-Stroud Field.

Matt Baca then led off the NSU (1-0) side of the frame with a single to right center, and was replaced by a pinch runner in Zack Costa who then stole second and advanced to third base on an error by Tigers' (0-1) catcher Jose Longoria.

Nathan Lyons walked and Tony Cornejo hit a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Costa. Edwin Gomez followed that by getting hit by the pitch before he and Lyons advanced to second and third on a wild pitch. Lyons scored on a second wild pitch. Will Watson hit a single to right center to score Gomez.
 
“We were down one run, we load the bases, and Zach Krebs gets out of it without allowing a run,” said first-year head coach Lane Burroughs.  Burroughs earned the first win of his career as a head coach.
 
“The momentum shifted then and took the air out of Grambling and we hung a three-spot,” said Burroughs. “It was on then, everybody in the dugout took a deep breath and we go out and do our thing.”

The Demons followed the three-run fifth with a six-run sixth. Cornejo had two runs batted in and Waston added one more RBI along with Lyons.
 
“I thought our guys had great at-bats,” said Burroughs. “To me that was the game, when Krebs got out of the fifth inning.”

Northwestern State added two more runs in the seventh when Cort Brinson hit a home run in his first collegiate at-bat and Costa scored on a balk by GSU's TJ Murphy.
 
“That's what he (Brinson) can do, and we know that,” said Burroughs. “I just think that shows a lot of maturity as a freshman to  get up there in your first career at-bat and drive it.”

Every Demon who was in the starting lineup reached base with Watson, Baca, and Lyons all had multi-hit games.

Joey Parrock started the game and pitched three innings allowing one run on three hits and walk. Krebs (1-0) was the pitcher-of-record allowing one run in four innings of work. AJ funk finished out the game with two innings with two runs.

NSU will return to action Saturday at 2 o'clock. Robert Baker is the expected starter for the Demons.