NATCHITOCHES – For 4 1-3 innings Tuesday night, Jeffrey Stovall and the Northwestern State baseball team were rolling along.
 
Stovall set down the first 13 Louisiana Tech batters he faced before the Bulldogs strung together three consecutive fifth-inning hits. That run produced a three-run inning, setting in motion a 6-0 Louisiana Tech victory at Brown-Stroud Field.
 
"They've got a good club," fourth-year head coach Lane Burroughs said. "They swung the bats really well. We made too many mistakes, throwing the ball to the wrong base. We tried to steal third down 6-0 in the ninth. I didn't have them prepared to play. I'll wear it, and we'll go get prepared to play tomorrow."
 
While Stovall and Louisiana Tech's Braden Bristo dueled, the Demons (27-20) and Bulldogs (32-14) flew through the first three innings with only one base runner. Matt Valdez' one-out single in the third inning was it for offense in the early going.
 
Stovall (4-5) appeared headed for a quick fifth inning after getting a one-pitch groundout from Chase Lunceford.
 
After Lunceford's quick at-bat, Jonathan Washam lined a double to left and Marshall Boggs followed with a one-out RBI single, taking second base on the throw.
 
A Taylor Love double scored Boggs and Love later scored on passed ball, capping the Bulldogs' three-run fifth inning and giving Bristo (5-5) plenty of run support.
 
The Louisiana Tech right-hander scattered four hits in six innings, striking out six and not issuing a walk.
 
NSU's best threat against Bristo came in the sixth when Bret Underwood led off with an infield single and Nick Heath followed with a single through the right side.
 
However, Bristo got a double-play grounder and a called strike three to end the threat.
 
Tech extended its lead with a run in the sixth inning and back-to-back home runs in the seventh inning.
 
After Love and Brent Diaz homered in the Tech seventh, Nathan Aultman came in and worked 2 1-3 scoreless innings with a career-best three strikeouts. It was Aultman's first appearance since April 9 and the senior right-hander now has thrown 4 1-3 scoreless innings over that time.
 
"Nathan Aultman was great tonight," Burroughs said. "I want to tip my cap to him. That's probably the best he's pitched in his career."
 
The teams will play at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Ruston to complete the home-and-home series. Northwestern State will send right-hander Tim Winders (1-2, 6.00) to the mound against Louisiana Tech right-hander Adam Derouen (0-0, 2.45).
  LT            000 031 200 – 6 8 2
NSU       000 000 000 – 0 5 0
W – Braden Bristo (5-5). L – Jeffrey Stovall (4-5). 2B – LT, Chandler Hall; Jonathan Washam; Taylor Love. NSU, Daniel Garner; Cade Jones. HR – LT, Taylor Love (2); Brent Diaz (2). Highlights: Marshall Boggs 2-4, RBI; Love 2-3, 2B, HR, 2 RBIs.
Records: Louisiana Tech 32-14; Northwestern State 27-20.