NATCHITOCHES – Two mistakes cost Team Orange a shot to clinch Northwestern State's annual Fall World Series on Sunday afternoon, setting up a winner-take-all Game 7 later this week.

Team Purple took advantage of the two sixth-inning errors to build a game-turning, four-run rally and then held on for a 6-5 victory in Game 6 at Brown-Stroud Field. 

"We talk every day in our program about dominating the average play," third-year head coach Lane Burroughs said. "The great plays are icing on the cake, like (Chase) Daughdrill made (Saturday) and a couple (David) Fry made. In the sixth inning, we definitely did not dominate the average play."

Trailing 4-2, David Fry led off and reached on an error, Matthew Alford singled and Caleb Dugas drew a walk to load the bases. Orange turned to senior right-hander Brandon Smith, who earned the save in Saturday's Game 5. 

Facing CJ Webster, Smith induced a potential double-play grounder, which was mishandled, leading to a pair of runs scoring to tie the game. Two batters later, Cade Jones, whose two-run home run in the fifth inning was the only scoring off Orange starter Evan Tidwell, drove a sacrifice fly to left field to put Purple ahead 5-4.

Sam Wilson followed with an RBI single that proved to be a key insurance run.

Senior left-hander Hunter Duvic tossed two-plus innings of scoreless relief to earn the win, but he left after issuing a leadoff walk to Miller Parker in the top of the seventh.

Freshman left-hander Jason Ortiz relieved Duvic and notched a key double play before Bret Underwood delivered a two-strike double to keep Orange alive. Braedon Barrett smoked an RBI triple to left field that barely missed being a two-run home run.

Ortiz shook off the back-to-back extra-base hits and retired Brinson on a hard-hit grounder to Fry at shortstop, setting off a joyous Purple celebration.

"We've seen that throughout this series – teams fighting back when they're down, and I think that bodes well for our team in the spring," Burroughs said. "Hunter Duvic threw really well. He's been working really hard in the bullpen with coach (Bobby) Barbier on a couple of his pitches, and he really executed (Sunday). I was really impressed with him and Jason Ortiz."

Team Orange built its early lead via a four-run third inning, highlighted by a two-run single by Cort Brinson and RBI singles from Regan Kaufman and Garrett Logan.

From there, freshman Brooks Bryan and Duvic kept Orange off the scoreboard in the fourth through sixth innings, allowing Jones and the Purple bats to awaken.

Game 7 tentatively is set for Wednesday at 5 p.m.