Box Score NATCHITOCHES  --  Julian Russell's three runs knocked in spurred an offensive outburst that led Chicago State past the Northwestern State baseball team, 9-3, on Friday night in the first game of a three-team event that also features McNeese State.
 
Russell was 2-of-4 at the plate with three RBIs and one run on two doubles.  The Cougars (5-6) collected 13 hits on the night, which included six players with two or more hits in the game.
 
"We were dismantled by a blue-collar, hard-cord team," said second-year head coach Lane Burroughs.  "I told our guys that's how I want them to play. That's what were supposed to be and what we're supposed to be about."
 
Northwestern State scored the game's first run when Joel Atkinson led off the game with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Bret Underwood followed by one from Caleb Dugas.  Atkinson scored on a past ball.
 
Chicago State answered with three runs in the second inning with RBI knocks from Nathan Poff, Russell, and Evan Davis.  The Cougars scored at least one run in five of the nine innings.
 
They added one in the fourth when Russell knocked in his second RBI with a double to left center.  They added two more fifth and sixth innings and one more in the seventh.
 
"Give Chicago State all the credit in the world.  They absolutely took it to us and we had no answers," said Burroughs.  
 
Northwestern State added two in the two runs in the seventh inning.  Edwin Gomez singled to right center to lead off the frame.  He advanced to second on a groundout from Nathan Lyons. Gomez scored from second two batters later when Matt Alford reached on a fielder's choice and CSU error.
 
Alford scored on a double to right center field by Bret Underwood.
 
Underwood led NSU with two hits in five at-bats with the lone RBI.  Gomez had two base knocks in four tries.  Lyons, Webster, Daughdrill, and Kaufman all contributed hits.
 
Hunter Duvic (0-2) pitched five innings and allowed six runs on 11 hits and five strikeouts.  Edward Ruggers, Nathan Aultman, Evan Tidwell, Brandon Smith worked an inning apiece.   Ruggers allowed two runs on one hit and Aultman allowed one run on two hits.
 
"We need to get better starting pitching.  We have about five days to figure out because we start conference soon," said Burroughs.  "We got a good club and I like our club. We're a long way from where I need to be."
Northwestern State will play two games tomorrow, the first against McNeese State at 12:00 and the second a rematch against Chicago State at 6:30.  John Gault (2-0) will be ton the mound in game one and Adam Oller (1-0) will start game two.