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NATCHITOCHES – Edwin Gomez's single through the right side in the 11^th inning of the first game and an three runs on an odd play in the eighth inning of the second game gave the Northwestern State baseball team 5-4 and 6-3 wins to sweep Central Arkansas in a three-game Southland Conference weekend series Saturday night at Brown-Stroud Field.
 
"The sweep was huge," said Demon head coach Lane Burroughs. "It's hard to sweep anybody in college baseball, and especially in a doubleheader. Our guys showed a lot of courage and toughness to battle through two really close games."
 
NSU (25-19, 13-8 SLC) had a 4-3 lead in at the start of the eighth inning in the first game, but UCA (22-19, 10-11) tied the game on a wild pitch and forced the contest into extra innings.  C.J. Webster drew a one-out walk on a full count in the 11^th inning, and moved up to second base on a single to center field by Joel Atkinson.  Gomez drove a 2-0 count pitch through the right side to score Webster from second base.
 
The Demons tied the second game at 3-3 in the fifth inning, and it remained knotted until NSU broke it open a bases-loaded squeeze play.
 
Cort Brinson led off the Demon eighth inning with a single to right field, and was moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Chase Daughdrill. Nathan Lyons drew a full-count walk, and Nick Heath reached on an error by Connor Gilmore on a bunt.
 
Joel Atkinson squared up for a squeeze bunt and dropped it between third base and the mound. Gilmore lobbed the ball to his catcher, but had it knocked away as Brinson as crossing the plate.  The ball rolled to the backstop, and Lyons and Heath came around to score.
 
"Joel Atkinson is one of our best bunters, and we put on a safety squeeze," said Burroughs. "It wasn't a great bunt, and we had a late break from third base. Fortunately for us, he threw the ball away and speed kills.
 
"Lyons read it perfectly at second and scored easily, Nick Heath flew around from first to score," he said. "We weren't intending to score three runs, but we'll take it."
 
Gomez finished the day with five hits in 10 at-bats, and had three runs scored and one knocked in. Brinson was 4-of-9 at the plate with two runs scored and one homerun. 
 
"Gomez was on fire this weekend," said Burroughs.  "He got us the big hit when we needed it, and he had the one in walkoff fashion."
 
Josh Oller started the first game and worked seven innings with three runs allowed on eight hits.  Andrew Adams relieved him, and ran in to trouble when Cameron Brewer was called into the game. 
 
"I thought Josh Oller competed his tail off.  He didn't have his best stuff, but absolutely competed," said Burroughs. "Cameron Brewer was the story of that game."
 
Brewer (2-0) took the win on 3.2 innings pitched, and sat down every batter he faced.
 
"He hadn't been extended that long, but he kept us in the game and gave us a chance to win," said Burroughs. "I am very proud of him."
 
Austin Tanner took the hill first in the second game and lasted four innings.  He gave up three runs on eight hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Evan Tidwell (3-0) grabbed the win with four innings of work and two hits allowed.  Brandon Smith (2) got the save, his second of the weekend, on one, perfect inning of work.
 
"Tanner didn't have his best stuff, but got us into the fifth.  Tidwell comes in and does what he does, cleans up everything.  Brandon Smith was electric," said Burroughs. "I think we might have found something there. The thing that Tidwell and Smith did was fill up the zone, and that is what you have to do to be successful."
 
Northwestern State scored in the first inning of both games.  The first game was to tie it at 1-1 on a single to left field from Brinson that scored Edwin Gomez from second base.  Gomez reached on a single to shortstop.
 
UCA jumped up 3-1 in the top of the third inning, but NSU cut it to 3-2 on a homer of the bat of Brinson.  The Demons tied it in the fifth inning when Gomez scored on a fly out to right field.
 
NSU put up two runs in the first inning of the second game, on Chase Daughdrill's single through the left side to score Bret Underwood and Caleb Dugas.  Underwood walked and Dugas reached on a fielder's choice.
 
UCA took the lead with a run in the fourth inning and two in the fifth, but NSU tied the game in the bottom frame of the fifth on a when Gomez scored on a Dugas' double down the left field line.
 
Dugas finished the day 3-of-8 with two runs knocked in and one scored, and Daughdrill had two hits in seven at-bats.
 
The NSU offense only struck out four times on the day, but drew six walks and two hit by pitches.  The Demon pitching staff stuck out eight Bears and gave up six walks.
 
The Demons will host Louisiana Tech at 6:30 on Tuesday before they travel to take on conference newcomer Incarnate Word in a three-game set that starts at 6:30 on Friday.