MEMPHIS – Crooked numbers helped and hurt Northwestern State softball as the Lady Demons split a pair of games Friday on the first day of the Blues City Classic.

NSU (9-6) scored a combined five runs in two innings in a 6-2 win against Western Illinois.

The Lady Demons built a three-run lead early against Memphis, but the Tigers responded with a seven-run inning en route to a 9-6 NSU loss.

NSU plays a second doubleheader Saturday with an 11:30 a.m. contest against Evansville and a 4:30 p.m. game against North Alabama.

NSU 6, WIU 2

NSU's bats inched the Lady Demons to an early lead, and pitchers Bronte Rhoden and Samantha Guile made it last in the win against WIU (3-8).

Rhoden (2-2) worked five scoreless innings with just two hits before running into trouble in the sixth inning. An error and two walks loaded the bases with one out, bringing in reliever Samantha Guile.

A wild pitch and an error resulted in two runs scored to slice NSU's lead to 4-2.

But the Lady Demons' defense came through, turning a double play involving Cayla Jones and Kat Marshall to end the threat with the lead intact.  

Guile earned her second save of the season with a scoreless 1 2-3 innings with just a walk.

Rhoden finished with two runs allowed (one earned) on two hits and three walks with three strikeouts.

The Lady Demons totaled nine hits as they cobbled together six runs.

E.C. Delafield drove in three runs on a 2-for-4 day.

Delafield plated NSU's first run in the first inning with an RBI single. Delafield drove in Jones (2-for-3), who singled with one out.

The Lady Demons broke through again in the fourth inning, scoring three innings to build a 4-0 lead.

Hayley Barbazon doubled in a run for a 2-0 lead before pinch runner Makenzie Chaffin scored on an error and Jones plated a third run on a sacrifice fly. The Lady Demons started the inning with a Kaitlyn St. Clair single and the first of two errors in the inning.

Two of NSU's four runs were unearned as the Leathernecks committed three errors.

With NSU leading 4-2, Delafield padded the advantage with a two-run home run, her third of the season. Delafield moved into the team lead with 16 RBIs, nearly matching her entire output for the 2019 season.

Barbazon scored after reaching base on WIU's final error in front of Delafield's home run. The senior scored two runs in the win.

Memphis 9, NSU 6

Northwestern State pitcher Jensen Howell mowed through the Memphis lineup the first time through Friday, recording nine straight outs to finish three innings.

Memphis worked through its lineup the second time all in the fourth inning as the Tigers exploded for seven runs in a 9-6 Lady Demons' loss.

The Tigers started the inning with four straight hits, including a Gracie Morton RBI double and a Brady Rowland three-run home run to erase NSU's early edge and take a 4-3 lead.

It appeared NSU would stop the damage there as Howell posted two of her five strikeouts, but Memphis rattled off three more hits and two free passes to score three runs with two outs.

Sara Ann Davidson doubled in a run before a throwing error plated the final two runs.

Howell (4-3) finished with seven runs allowed (five earned) on six hits and a walk.

The Lady Demons offense packed the base paths the entire game with the help of nine walks by Memphis starter Mariah Nichols.

NSU couldn't fully capitalize in the first inning, leaving the bases loaded after Kat Marshall plated the game's first run on a fielder's choice. Memphis turned a double play to end the inning with the bases loaded.

But Kaitlyn St. Clair (2-for-3) made up for the missed opportunity in the third inning, singling in one run with another scoring on a fielding error on the same play. NSU led 3-0.

NSU couldn't overcome Memphis' huge inning, stranding 11 runners and eight in scoring position.

Howell helped herself at the plate, hitting her first career home run (solo) in the sixth inning before she drove in a second run on a fielder's choice in the seventh inning with the bases loaded (NSU
trailed 9-5).

But Memphis reliever Karli Perque (second save) sidestepped much of the potential damage, surrendering an Elise Vincent sacrifice fly RBI to hold NSU to two runs in the seven inning when the Lady Demons loaded the bases with no outs.

Nichols earned the win with four runs (two earned) on three hits and nine walks in 5 1-3 innings.

NSU reliever E.C. Delafield tossed the final 2 1-3 innings, allowing a two-run Morton home run in the sixth inning. Five of Memphis' nine runs came with two outs.