NATCHITOCHES – Whenever Texas A&M-Corpus Christi got close Friday, Northwestern State's duo from Hallsville, Texas, created separation.
Sophomores Emma Hawthorne and Julie Rawls each drove in four runs in the first and second games, respectively, to help the Lady Demons to a pair of wins against the Islanders.
NSU (19-9, 7-1 Southland Conference) won 7-2 and 9-3 against the Islanders (8-21-1, 0-8 SLC) for its third league series win of SLC play.
The Lady Demons will attempt another sweep Saturday at 1 p.m. NSU started its conference schedule with a sweep of Lamar before winning two of three at Abilene Christian.
NSU's 7-1 start to league play is its best since 2015 (10-0) when the Lady Demons won the conference regular season title at 22-3.
"We did take advantage of some of (TAMU-CC's) mistakes, and they had some good hitters with runners on base in a couple of situations," said NSU coach Donald Pickett. "We were able to get out of them, but hopefully we'll be a little sharper (Saturday) in every phase of the game.
"We made a couple of errors (two in the second game) that were routine plays. We were lucky enough to have a couple of big innings later in the games to widen the gaps and allow our pitchers to relax."
NSU 7, TAMU-CC 2
NSU snatched an early 2-1 lead after freshman Cayla Jones took three bases off an Islanders error, and then Hawthorne provided all the cushion the Lady Demons needed.
Hawthorne doubled in two runs for a 4-1 edge that anchored a four-run inning before she blasted a two-run home run off the left-field foul pole for a 7-1 edge. She finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBIs.
The catcher has three multi-RBI games in her last eight, including matching her career-high in RBIs with four from a grand slam against Lamar.
"This week I've really worked hard on seeing the ball all the way in so I can square it up perfectly," said Hawthorne, who also threw out two Islander runners attempting to steal. "At the beginning of the year, I was struggling throwing straight to second base. We've worked on that a lot, and I feel better in that aspect."
The offensive support was more than enough for Micaela Bouvier (9-3), who held the Islanders to two runs on five hits.
Bouvier struck out eight on the night with just one walk to lower her season ERA to 2.25.
NSU struck first with Madelyn Matt scoring on a wild pitch, but TAMU-CC responded with a fourth-inning run to tie the game on a Whitney Wendel solo home run.
Bouvier surrendered just the home run and a single through the first five innings. She walked a batter in the sixth before allowing three seventh-inning hits, including a Katrina Jackson RBI double.
Eight different NSU batters contributed to the team's nine hits.
NSU 9, TAMU-CC 3
The Lady Demons appeared to carry first-game momentum into the second game as NSU sprinted to a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
Julie Rawls drew an RBI-walk before Hayley Barbazon plated two more with a bases-loaded single.
But the second game wouldn't be that smooth as the Islanders responded with three third-inning runs.
A bases-loaded error scored TAMU-CC's first run before a Kaylee Hoppens single and Destiney Diaz sacrifice fly tied the game 3-3.
NSU starter Mikayla Brown didn't flinch the rest of the way as she held the Islanders scoreless over the final four innings.
Brown allowed three runs on seven hits and three walks as she stranded six Islanders on the base paths.
After TAMU-CC tied the game, NSU responded with runs in the third and fourth innings for a 5-3 edge.
Jones scored on an error after she doubled and Sidney Harris drew a bases-loaded walk.
With the bases loaded in the sixth inning, Rawls (1-for-3, 4 RBIs) blasted a three-RBI double that keyed a four-run inning.
"The at-bat before (the double), I had bases-loaded as well, and I grounded out to second," Rawls said. "That sucks as a hitter because you need to get those runs in.
"When I came up again with the bases loaded, I thought, "Wow, I guess it's time for me to break it open.' Learn from the at-bat before. I was making adjustments, and I knew that they were going to come inside, so I had to get my hands through. Luckily they did come inside, and I got a double off it."
Barbazon (3-for-4, 3 RBIs) tripled in NSU's final run on her third triple of the season. The sophomore singled, doubled and tripled in the game.
NSU totaled 10 hits with leadoff Sidney Salmans (3-for-4, 2 runs scored) and Cayla Jones (2-for-2, three runs scored) contributing.
