Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 NATCHITOCHES – A throwing error from Brittany Virgoe with a runner on second forced the Northwestern State softball team to split a pair of Southland Conference games with league newcomer Incarnate Word Friday evening as NSU claimed game one 8-0 (five innings) and fell 8-7 (nine innings) in the ninth of game two, at the Lady Demon Diamond.
 
Trailing 7-4 in the sixth, the Lady Demons (20-19 overall, 9-9 SLC) attempted a come-from-behind win when they brought in freshman Micayla Sorosiak to pinch-hit for Kayla Boening with two runners on. Sorosiak answered the call as she smacked her fourth homer of the season beyond the left field outfield club to tie the game and eventually force extra innings with the Cardinals (19-25, 5-9).
 
The game would turn the other way when UIW's Whitney Waltrip led off the top of the ninth with a double to center field, and advanced to third off a grounder to third baseman Brittany Virgoe. Virgoe scooped the ball with ease, but committed a throwing error that allowed Waltrip to advance home for the eventual game-winner.
 
"I was proud of the way we got things done early in the day, and battled back in game two, but we let it slip away too easily," said sixth-year head coach Donald Pickett. "We need to come out strong and confident on Sunday and take the series."
 
The Lady Demons took an early 2-0 lead in the first when Cassandra Barefield picked up two RBI off a double to right center.
 
UIW struggled to score through the first two innings, but notched seven runs in the third off four hits, including a three-run homer from Christy Trevino, to take a commanding lead.
 
NSU put up two runs in the bottom of the third to combat the Cardinals' lead, starting with freshman Kellye Kincannon, who rocked a RBI-single to center with the bases loaded to score one run, followed by a sacrifice RBI from Brianna Rodriguez in the next at-bat.
 
Sophomore Baylee Gray (2-5) suffered the loss after entering in the third, giving up five hits and two runs, while striking out seven, tying her career-high. Freshman Shelby Sells earned the start and threw 2.1 innings, also allowing five hits and giving up six runs, three of them earned.
 
In game one, the Lady Demons started hot with six runs in the first as they loaded up the bases and picked up their first run off a RBI-walk from Rodriguez. Brittney Jones was hit by a pitch to send another runner home, followed by a three-run RBI double from Cheyenne DelaGarza. UIW was then forced to make a pitching change as NSU pinch-hit Sorosiak for Boening. Sorosiak answered the change with a RBI-single to left center to cap scoring in the inning.
 
The Lady Demons extended their lead with a single run in the third when Kayla Boening smacked her fourth homer of the season to left center.
 
In the fifth, DelaGarza doubled once again to right center, and was replaced by pinch-runner Tashana Triplett. The Winnfield native advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Boening, and was sent home off a RBI-single from Tara McKenney to seal the win.
 
Senior Kaylee Guidry (8-3) threw a complete game shutout, striking out two and allowing just two hits.
 
McKenney led from the plate with a 6-for-9 performance and one RBI, followed by Virgoe at 4-for-8 and DelaGarza with a 3-for-7 outing and three RBI.
 
Northwestern State finishes up the series with the Cardinals on Saturday beginning at one o'clock, and will host in-state rival Louisiana Tech in a breast cancer awareness game on Wednesday starting at 6:00.