Box Score NATCHITOCHES – Anthony Azar's single up the middle to score Colt Atwood in the 10^th inning gave Sam Houston State the go-ahead run to beat the Northwestern State baseball team 4-3 on Friday night in Southland Conference action.
 
Atwood led off the inning with a single up the middle for the Bearkats (25-17, 10-6 SLC)and promptly stole second base and advanced to third on an error by Demon (11-31, 2-14 SLC) catcher Nick Purdy.  Azar was the next batter and lined a 1-2 pitch up the middle.
 
Atwood was two-of-four with two runs scored.
 
Sam Houston started the game off with a run in the first inning on a single up the middle from Kevin Miller to score Atwood, who reached on a walk.
 
The Demons answered with a run in the third inning and two in the fourth. Nick Purdy had the run-scoring at-bat in the third frame when he hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Will Watson.
 
The fourth inning had back-to-back singles up the middle from Toby Cornejo and Watson.  Cornejo scored Matt Burns, who reached on a walk, and Watson scored Cornejo from second base.
 
“I am proud of is that we had a runner at third with less than two outs and Purdy hits a sacrifice fly, and we had two back-to-back RBI singles,” said head coach Lane Burroughs. “Those were things we haven't done really the entire year, and it was encouraging to see us actually get runners in when they're in scoring position.”
 
Sam Houston's second run came in the top of the fourth inning on a Ryan Farney single to left field that scored Carter Burgess.
 
The Bearkat run that evened the game was in the sixth frame Ryan O'Hearn singled to right center field to score Miller from second base.
 
Robert Baker got the start for the Demons and worked six innings with three runs on six hits, two walks, and four strikeouts.  Steven Spann (2-4) got the loss on 3.1 innings pitched and gave up the go-ahead run.
 
“As usual Bobby Baker gave us a chance to win,” said Burroughs. “He hasn't been on the mound in two weeks and goes out and pitches lights out.
 
“We had Baker, Spann, and (Cameron) Brewer exactly how we want it to be with a chance to win, and we don't get it done,” he said.
 
Andrew Godail started for Sam Houston and gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits, two walks, and six strikeouts.  Jason Simms (2-1) was the third pitcher in the game for SHSU and got the win on 2.2 scoreless innings.
 
Will Watson led the charge for NSU with a two-for-two night and a run batted in and a run scored.  Toby Cornejo was one-of-five with a RBI and run scored.
 
Miller was two-for-three for the Bearkats and had a RBI and run scored.  
 
The second game of the series is set for Saturday at 2:00 and can be heard by live audio stream at NSUDemons.com.  The final game of the set is Sunday at 1 o'clock.