Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
DENTON, Texas  -- Northwestern State softball struggled to deliver with runners on base Friday as the Lady Demons suffered two losses on the opening day of North Texas' Mean Green Classic.

NSU stranded 11 runners in a 5-2 loss to Creighton to start the day.

Then the Lady Demons couldn't complete a comeback, leaving a runner on second base in the final inning of a 4-3 defeat to Seton Hall.

NSU (2-4) has a rematch with Seton Hall on Saturday at 11 a.m. before closing its tournament with a matchup against host North Texas on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

"We struggled offensively, and until we get disciplined in our approach and stop trying to do too much, we'll struggle in leaving runners on base," said NSU coach Donald Pickett. "Our pitchers had some good times and some bad times, and we were inconsistent in all three phases today.

"Our opponents were just better in all three phases today."
 
Seton Hall 4, NSU 3

NSU nearly dug out of a four-run hole against the Pirates (3-4), but the Lady Demons couldn't muster enough offense in the late innings.

Junior Hayley Barbazon tied her career high with three hits, including a seventh-inning single to start a rally down 4-2.

Sophomore Cayla Jones produced an RBI double, her first extra-base hit of the season, to cut SHU's lead to 4-3.

But SHU reliever Kelsey Gumm had one of her two strikeouts to end the game and secure her first save.

NSU's best inning came in the fifth as the Lady Demons scored two runs, but a chance was missed for more. A Nikki Skerlong sacrifice fly scored Codi Vernace and a Hayley Barbazon RBI double plated Toni Hebert. Vernace reached on an error before Hebert drew a walk in her first plate appearance of the season.

But the Lady Demons stranded two more runners in scoring position when SHU starter Reganne Camp retired Jones and Cantrell in the heart of the NSU lineup.

Six of NSU's stranded runners were left in scoring position.

Camp (3-1) allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits in five innings. NSU totaled six hits.

The Pirates scored two runs in the third inning to grab the early lead. Darby Pandolfo hit a solo home run, and Hailey Arteaga added an RBI double for the 2-0 edge.

NSU starter E.C. Delafield bounced back with a perfect inning in the fourth, including one of her six strikeouts, one shy of her career high.

The Lady Demons stranded more runners in the early innings, leaving two in scoring position in the first and one in scoring position in the third.

The Pirates doubled its lead in the fifth inning by scoring two more runs for a 4-0 advantage. Following a leadoff double by Kiana Tate, Janae Barracato doubled in a run and Hailey Arteaga drove in another run with a single.

Arteaga led SHU's offensive efforts by going 3-for-3 with two RBIs.

Delafield (0-1) received her first decision of the season in the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Reliever Samantha Guile tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings with a walk.

NSU is 1-2 in games decided by one run.
 
Creighton 5, NSU 2

Creighton cashed in with runners in scoring position Friday while Northwestern State couldn't capitalize on its eight walks as the Lady Demons fell 5-2 in its opening game of the North Texas Mean Green Classic.

The Blue Jays scored all five of their runs with two outs, including a four-run second inning.

NSU struck first with a Hayley Barbazon run in the first inning. Barbazon reached base when she was hit by a pitch, advanced two bases on a wild pitch and scored on an Emma Hawthorne fielder's choice RBI.

But Creighton (3-4) chased NSU starter Samantha Guile (0-3) in the second inning as part of its momentum-swinging offensive effort. Guile recorded the second out of the inning with just one runner on, but a walk, an Ashley Cantu RBI single and a Mileah McKelvy RBI on a fielder's choice handed the Blue Jays a 2-1 edge.

NSU reliever Bronte Rhoden entered the game, and Sam Alm brought in two more runs on a single. All runs were credited to Guile, allowed four runs on one hit and four walks.

The Lady Demons got one run back in the third inning when freshman Alexis Perry recorded her first career RBI with a bases-loaded single to cut Creighton's lead to 4-2. Cayla Jones scored the run after she, Kaitlyn St. Clair and Emma Hawthorne walked to load the bases with one out. Creighton held onto its lead by getting the next two outs without allowing a run.

NSU stranded 11 runners on base as it recorded just four hits.

Perry (2-for-4) recorded two of those base knocks.

Creighton continued its two-out, run-scoring trend when Mileah McKelvy homered in the fourth inning to extend the Blue Jay edge to 5-2.

The Blue Jays threaten to widen their lead in the sixth inning, but Rhoden stranded two runners in scoring position by recording the last two outs.

Rhoden allowed one run on five hits in her 4 1/3 innings of relief with a career-high four strikeouts.