NATCHITOCHES – A three-run second inning put the Northwestern State baseball team in good position in its 2022 season opener Friday night against visiting Stephen F. Austin.
 
The Demons, however, were unable to build on the early momentum and saw the Lumberjacks awaken offensively in the middle innings as NSU fell 7-3 at Brown-Stroud Field.
 
"All their guys executed pitches, especially for the first time out," sixth-year head coach Bobby Barbier said. "They did a great job of staying out of three-ball counts and making us put the ball in play. We took some good swings, but we gave in some late in the game. We began to chase some. We have to learn to fight for nine innings, which is something we'll learn as the season goes on."
 
NSU (0-1) took advantage of some shaky SFA (1-0) defense in the second to erase an early one-run deficit.
 
Freshman Bailyn Sorensen's two-out single brought home fellow freshman Gray Rowlett, who led off the inning with a single, to tie the game. After Jake Haze was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second, Larson Fontenot dropped down a bunt single that Chaney Dodge fielded and threw wildly to first, allowing both Sorensen and Haze to score, giving NSU a two-run lead.
 
The lead lasted four batters as the Lumberjacks took advantage of a lack of control from NSU left-hander Cal Carver (0-1).
 
After striking out Kyle Cullen to start the third, Carver walked back-to-back hitters and issued a run-scoring wild pitch before Dillon Eatman put SFA ahead to stay with a two-run home run.
 
It was the first of three homers for Stephen F. Austin, which followed its three-run third with single runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings.
 
Carver struck out seven in 3 2-3 innings before turning the ball over to Gus Collins and Cameron Taylor, who struck out four SFA hitters each across the final 5 1-3 innings.
 
"Cal wasn't super sharp, but he competed for us," Barbier said. "He got to his pitch count for opening day, where we don't let them go too deep. Gus came in and threw strikes, and CT was electric at the end. They had a few good swings. We struck them out 15 times and gave up seven runs. That's hard to do, but it's part of baseball."
 
Daunte Stuart and Broch Holmes each went 2-for-4 for the Demons while Cal Martin led SFA with a 3-for-5 performance, including a double and a home run.
 
The series continues Saturday with a 2 p.m. first pitch. NSU will send right-hander Johnathan Harmon (4-4, 5.37 in 2021) to the mound against SFA left-hander Cully Mangus (0-1, 7.43).
 
Stephen F. Austin 7, Northwestern State 3
SFA        103 110 100 – 7 8 3
NSU       030 000 000 – 3 8 1
W – Joe Richter (1-0). L – Cal Carver (0-1). 2B – SFA, Kanin Dodge, Cal Martin, Chaney Dodge. NSU, Daunte Stuart, Broch Holmes. HR – SFA, Dillon Eatman (1), Cal Martin (1), Jake Zarrello (1). Highlights: SFA, Martin 3-5, 2B, HR, RBI; NSU, Stuart 2-4, 2B; Holmes 2-4, 2B.
Records: Stephen F. Austin 1-0; Northwestern State 0-1.