NATCHITOCHES – Pitching has been the Northwestern State baseball team's calling card for much of the Bobby Barbier era.
 
That tradition seems to be in good hands, or at least it was in a Saturday doubleheader sweep of North Alabama at Brown-Stroud Field.
 
The Demons used a two-run Jeffrey Elkins single to walk off the Lions, 4-3, in the opener before newcomers Nik Millsap and Cal Carver combined on a two-hit, 5-0 shutout in the nightcap as the Demons stretched their winning streak to four games.
 
"When (Josh) Banes came in and settled down game one for us, and Levi (David) came in and held I there, we talk about it all the time – stay in the fight," fourth-year head coach Bobby Barbier said. "Even though you're behind, stay in the fight and keep it within striking distance, and Jeff gets the big hit to win the game.
 
"Then Cal and Nik in the second game, saving the bullpen. Four games in three days is tough. What they did today, saved some guys for tomorrow who will be fresh to follow Johnny (Harmon)."
 
Elkins' single through the right side capped a three-run ninth inning for the Demons (5-1), who got a spark from a couple of career firsts in the rally.
 
After Jacob Laws and Bryant Claunch (0-1) blanked the Demons for 7 1-3 innings, Elkins and Lenni Kunert delivered back-to-back doubles to start the eighth inning, cutting North Alabama's lead to 3-1.
 
Once Demon right-hander Levi David (1-0) worked a scoreless ninth, the NSU offense truly came to life against Claunch.
 
Freshman Daunte Stuart led off with a sharp single to left field and advanced to third on a passed ball and a wild pitch, setting up Cameron Parikh's first career hit and RBI.
 
Stuart's fellow freshman, Jacob Farrell, made his first career at-bat count, lining a pinch-hit single to left. Following a Payne Rodgers sacrifice bunt and a popout, Elkins shot a clean single through the right side, and Farrell beat Kevin Brenning's throw home to give the Demons the first-game win.
 
"I had been struggling this whole year, and (assistant coach Taylor) Dugas preaches, 'Stay through the ball, stay through the ball,'" said Elkins, who finished the doubleheader with three RBIs. "I just took it to heart that at-bat, and it worked."
 
North Alabama (1-6) scored all of its runs in the third inning, taking advantage of an NSU error to hang three unearned runs on starter Reed Michel.
 
Right-hander Josh Banes relieved Michel and, after allowing a pair of inherited runs to score, quieted the Lions across 4 1-3 scoreless innings.
 
Banes' work set a template and a bar for David, Millsap and Carver.
 
The five NSU pitchers used Saturday, scattered 10 hits and did not allow an earned run.
 
Banes' 4 1-3 shutout innings set the tone while David followed with 2 1-3 scoreless. Millsap opened the nightcap with four shutout innings, and Carver (1-0) added five to earn the first win of his NSU career.
 
"Banes threw really well in front of me," David said. "I came in with second and third and got the popout that Jeff caught for me. It boosted my confidence a lot. I took that with me to the eighth and ninth inning and started throwing the ball well. (Banes) threw up a bunch of zeroes, and I just wanted to do the same thing. He competed really hard for us. Reed, same thing. I just wanted to keep going out there and putting up zeroes."
 
While the Demons pitchers were busy putting up zeroes, the NSU bats stayed hot early in the second game.
 
Stuart drew a leadoff walk, setting in motion a three-run first inning against North Alabama's Chase Best (1-1) that gave Millsap and Carver all the support they needed.
 
After a passed ball moved Stuart to second, Elkins doubled him home before Kunert singled home Elkins.
 
Two batters later, Peyton Davis made it 3-0 with an RBI single to score Kunert.
 
Making his first career start, Millsap allowed two hits while striking out four. Carver followed by tossing five hitless innings with seven strikeouts.
 
"We did a great job that first inning," Barbier said. "Daunte, right away, came out ready to hit. He drew a walk, but he put a really good swing on the first pitch, and that affects the pitcher. (Former LSU) coach (Skip) Bertman always called it, 'The Inevitable Two.'
 
"The umpire's trying to figure out his strike zone. The pitcher's trying to get his feel. You're inevitably going to give up two runs in the first inning. It's good to not let those guys relax into the game. We did a good job coming out swinging it."
 
The Demons tallied 10 hits in each game. Elkins (3-for-8), Kunert (3-for-8), Stuart (3-for-6) and Marshall Skinner (3-for-5) all had three hits in the doubleheader while Payne Rodgers had his first career multi-hit game and first career RBI in the nightcap, going 2-for-3 with a seventh-inning RBI single.
 
The series concludes at 12 p.m. Sunday. Right-hander Johnathan Harmon (0-0, 1.50) starts for Northwestern State against North Alabama right-hander Keegan Foge (0-1, 6.23).
 
Northwestern State 4-5, North Alabama 3-0
Game 1
UNA      003 000 000 – 3 8 0
NSU       000 000 013 – 4 10 1
W – Levi David (1-0). L – Bryant Claunch (0-1). 2B – NSU, Jeffrey Elkins, Lenni Kunert. Highlights: UNA, Colt Chrestman 2-4. NSU, Elkins 2-5, 2B, 2 RBIs; Kunert 2-4, 2B, RBI; Daunte Stuart 2-4.
Game 2
UNA      000 000 000 – 0 2 1
NSU       300 000 20x – 5 10 0
W – Cal Carver (1-0). L – Chase Best (1-1). 2B – NSU, Jeffrey Elkins; Jacob Farrell. Highlights: NSU, Marshall Skinner 2-3; Payne Rodgers 2-3, RBI.
Records: North Alabama 1-6; Northwestern State 5-1.