TROY, Ala. -- Northwestern State shook off a tough opener in the first game of a doubleheader at Troy on Saturday.
 
Unfortunately for the Demons, their bullpen could not hold the lead, as Troy's eighth- and ninth-inning rallies set the tone for an 8-7 victory in the opener at Riddle-Pace Field.
 
The Trojans then carried that momentum into the second game, shutting out the Demons for the second time in three games, 5-0, to sweep the twinbill.
 
"In game one, our bullpen let us down," third-year head coach Lane Burroughs said. "I was proud of how we came out and played with confidence. We left some runs out on the field when we could have extended the lead. Game two was kind of a replay of (Friday) night. Offensively, we didn't get it going."
 
In the opener, Cort Brinson got the Demons (0-3) going early, drilling a two-out solo home run in the first inning off Troy starter Ben Tidwell.
 
The Demons kept the pressure on Tidwell, adding a run in the second before a two-run, third-inning Garrett Logan single knocked Tidwell from the game and put NSU up 4-0.  NSU upped the lead to 6-1 on a two-run double from Caleb Dugas in the fourth inning.
 
Armed with the lead, senior right-hander Josh Oller worked an effective 5 2-3 innings, scattering 10 hits and allowing three runs.
 
"Josh Oller did a great job," Burroughs said, "He scattered 10 hits, and I was proud of the way he battled."
 
Austin Tanner came in and quelled the Trojans' sixth-inning threat, leaving NSU with a 7-3 lead.
 
Troy (3-0), however, rallied behind a three-run home run by leadoff hitter Matt Sanders, who finished 4-for-6 with five RBIs.
 
In the ninth, Nick Masonia's one-out single started the game-winning rally. Pinch runner Peyton Fuller advanced to second on a ground out before Clay Holcomb delivered a game-tying RBI single through the left side.
 
Holcomb stole second before Sanders notched a walkoff single to left against Brandon Smith (0-1).
 
In the nightcap, Troy's Grant Bennett (1-0) limited NSU to four hits in six scoreless innings, striking out eight.
 
Logan Hill's RBI single in the first inning was enough support for the Trojans, who touched NSU starter Evan Tidwell (0-1) for five runs across 6 1-3 innings before Hunter Duvic and Zach Habarka closed the final 1 2-3 innings.
 
Chase Daughdrill and Dugas each went 2-for-4 in the finale, while Dugas (2-for-5), Brinson (2-for-3), C.J. Webster (2-for-5) and Logan (2-for-4) all had multi-hit games in the opener.
 
"Bottom line, we're in a storm," Burroughs said. "We have to weather it. Troy's got a good club, and we've got to fight our way out of it. It's early and no one's going to panic."
 
The series concludes Sunday at 1 p.m. Junior right-hander Jeffrey Stovall is scheduled to make his Northwestern State debut against Troy right-hander Tucker Simpson.
 

W — Marc Skinner (1-0). L – Brandon Smith (0-1). 2B — Caleb Dugas (NSU); C.J. Webster (NSU) 2; Garrett Logan (NSU); Nick Masonia (TU). 3B — Matt Sanders (TU); Clay Holcomb (TU). HR — Cort Brinson (NSU) 1; Matt Sanders (TU) 1. Highlights: NSU, Brinson 2-3, HR, RBI; Dugas 2-5, 2 RBIs; Webster 2-5, RBI; Logan 2-4, 2 RBIs; TU, Sanders 4-6, 3B, HR, 5 RBIs; David Hall 2-5; Masonia 3-5; Holcomb 3-5, 3B, 2 RBIs. 
 

W — Grant Bennett (1-0). L — Evan Tidwell (0-1). 2B — Nick Masonia (TU). 3B — Reid Long (TU). HR — Long (TU) 1. Highlights: NSU, Chase Daughdrill 2-4; Caleb Dugas 2-4; TU, David Hall 2-4, 2 RBIs; Hill 2-3, 2 RBIs; Long 2-4, HR, RBI. 

Records: Northwestern State 0-3; Troy 3-0