NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State baseball team did things by the book Friday night against South Alabama.
 
Unfortunately for the Demons, the final chapter did not go their way.
 
Caleb Balgaard's three-run home run after an intentional walk lifted the visiting Jaguars to an 8-6 win against Northwestern State at Brown-Stroud Field in the opener of a three-game non-conference series.
 
"I thought we competed really hard," fifth-year head coach Bobby Barbier said. "The guys who came in threw the ball fine. (South Alabama) had some really good at-bats there at the end of the game, and you have to tip your hat. Give them a lot of credit. They got two hits there at the end. Unfortunately, one left the yard."
 
Balgaard's fifth home run of the season came on a 1-0 pitch from Alex Makarewich (1-2), who struck out five in 2 2-3 innings of relief. It came two pitches after Barbier made the decision to intentionally walk Ethan Wilson, the preseason Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year who had a two-run home run earlier in the game.
 
It was the second time the Demons (9-10) issued an intentional walk to Wilson. The first time came in the seventh inning and Makarewich successfully navigated that plate appearance, getting Reid Powers to line out after a walk to Balgaard.
 
Although the Demons lost a game decided in the final at-bat for the sixth time in the past eight outings, this one was more offensive-minded.
 
NSU took a 2-0 lead off South Alabama starter Jeremy Lee on a two-out, two-run single by Jake Haze in the second inning.
 
The Demons rattled the Jaguar right-hander, who entered with a 35-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, touching Lee for six runs (four earned) in five innings while drawing four walks.
 
"Their starter came in with some unbelievable numbers," Barbier said. "I thought we did a good job battling with him. We kept our strikeouts down and competed with him. That was not an issue."
 
Down 3-2 after a three-run South Alabama (11-9) fourth inning, the Demons struck again in the fifth as Lenni Kunert doubled home a pair of runs with two outs.
 
A third two-run inning followed in the sixth as Peyton Davis and Kendall Foster delivered RBI hits to push the lead to 6-3.
 
However, the Jaguars answered with a two-run seventh inning to wrest momentum back to their side before Balgaard (2-for-4) gave them the victory.
 
Miles Smith (2-0) picked up the win in relief, working four scoreless innings, allowing only Foster's RBI double in the sixth.
 
The series continues Saturday with a 2 p.m. matchup. Left-hander Cal Carver (3-1, 0.91) is set to start for Northwestern State against South Alabama right-hander Matt Boswell (1-0, 3.98).
 
South Alabama 8, Northwestern State 6
USA       000 300 203 – 8 7 1
NSU       020 022 000 – 6 7 1
W – Miles Smith (2-0). L – Alex Makarewich (1-2). 2B – USA, Cameron Tissue. NSU, Daunte Stuart, Lenni Kunert, Kendall Foster. HR – USA, Ethan Wilson (3), Caleb Balgaard (5). Highlights: USA, Tissue 2-5, 2B, 2 RBIs; Balgaard 2-4, HR, 3 RBIs.
Records: South Alabama 11-9; Northwestern State 9-10.