Box Score NATCHITOCHES – A run in the seventh inning was all Robert Baker needed in a complete game, two-hit shutout Friday night to help give Northwestern State baseball team a 1-0 victory over Central Arkansas in Southland Conference.
 
Baker (3-3) gave up four walks and struck out nine batters to lead the Demons (10-21, 1-6 SLC) as they snapped a 13-game losing streak. Central Arkansas' (21-8, 2-5 SLC) starter Caleb McClanahan (5-3) threw eight innings and gave up eight hits with one walk and six strikeouts.
 
“Baker was the story of the game. I know his pitch count was high, but I thought this was his game and he deserved it,” said head coach Lane Burroughs. “He pitched his tail off. He said he felt great, and nobody knows the body like that guy. He had conditioned himself to go that far.
 
“He shut down a very good team. They (UCA) are playing as well as anybody in the country,” he said.
 
The Bears were ranked in five national polls in March and have three wins over nationally ranked teams this season.
 
Nick Purdy led off the seventh inning with a single to right field and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt from Edwin Gomez. Matt Farmer, who pinch hitting for Regan Kaufman, singled with a slow-roller to first base to advance Purdy to third base.
 
Purdy scored one batter later when Zack Costa hit a bunt-single down the right side.
 
“We executed by getting the safety-squeeze down," said Burroughs. “We talked about it before the game, it's a new season. We're 1-0, and that's the way we'll look at it and the approach we're taking.”
 
Northwestern State and Central Arkansas each stranded six runners on base. The Bears put runners into scoring position four times, but Baker worked out of jam each time.
 
Will Watson had two base knocks, and Toby Cornejo, Todd Wallace, Matt Burns, Purdy, Farmer, and Costa each contributed one hit. Burns extended his hitting streak to nine, and Nick Purdy reached base safely for the 17^th straight game.
 
“We're not a power hitting team,” said Burroughs. “We're a team that has to get bunts down and hit-and-run. We pressured them (UCA) today and they didn't like it. They're going to come out tomorrow with their hair on fire and come after us.”
 
The second game of the series will take place Saturday at 2:00 and the final game will be at 1 o'clock on Sunday.