DENTON, Texas – Extra-base hits, leadoff hits and two-out hits were the killers Northwestern State on Saturday in a pair of losses on the first day of the North Texas Invitational.
 
The Lady Demons (7-5) saw leadoff batters reach in five of the seven innings in which their opponents scored, allowed a total of nine extra-base hits and surrendered five runs with two-outs in an inning in a 7-1 loss to Wichita State and a 5-3 loss to North Texas.
 
Wichita State 7, NSU 1
 
Leadoff batters reaching base, especially by way of the extra-base hit, made for a long game for NSU in the weekend opener against Wichita State.
 
In each of the first four innings, the only innings in which the Shockers scored any runs, the first batter of the frame reached base with two doubles, and single and a walk, all of which came around to score later in the inning.
 
The nation's top hitter in terms of average, Wichita State short stop Sydney McKinney, started the game with a leadoff double against starter Ryleigh Denton. She came in to score two batters later on the second double of the inning to give the Shockers the early 1-0 lead.
 
A double to start the second inning led to another run, this time on an error at short after the runner moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Two innings and three doubles later and the Demons found themselves behind 2-0.
 
Taylor Williams got in on the double party to start the bottom of the second for the Demons and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Tristin Court. Five pitches later though it was back to defense for NSU as a strike out and fly ball to left stranded Williams at third.
 
The Shockers' fourth double of the game set the stage for their third and fourth runs in the third inning, cashing them in on back-to-back bases loaded groundouts extending their lead with two productive outs.
 
Bailie Ragsdale opened the bottom of the inning with a nine-pitch walk and slid in to home three batters later on a four-pitch walk to Keely Dubois where the fourth pitch got away from the catcher for a wild pitch. NSU could not capitalize on the ensuing two-on, one-out situation, leaving both runners stranded with back-to-back strikeouts.
 
The first two batters of the fourth reached base for the Shockers and each trotted home on a long ball down the line in left to break the game open and give Wichita State the 7-1 lead.
 
Bronte Rhoden entered the game in relief starting the with fifth and threw three scoreless innings allowing just two hits and striking out three.
 
NSU was held to just four hits in the game, two of them coming off the bat of Williams who singled up the middle in the sixth to accompany her double earlier in the game.
 
North Texas 5, NSU 3
 
After just four hits in the first game of the day against the Shockers, the Demons offense struggled through the better part of the night cap against the Mean Green.
 
Bailie Ragsdale reached on an infield single in the top of the first, serving as the only hit for NSU through the first six innings of the game. The Demons got base runners in the third and sixth innings thanks to defensive miscues but were unable to advance them passed second base each time.
 
Demons starter Maggie Darr was put to the test early with long at bats from the North Texas order. Although she did not allow any runs in either of the first 2 2/3 innings of the game, she threw a total of 60 pitches to the first 12 batters of the game before a two-out solo home run put North Texas ahead by a run.
 
The long ball was the first of five two-out runs North Texas scored in the game, getting another in the fourth on a double to left center and three more in the fifth on another two-bagger and two-run home run to put UNT up 5-0 and in firm control of the game.
 
Kenzie Seely was able to keep the margin to five runs, which ended up being a critical escape act, as she skirted a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the bottom of the sixth with the run-rule winning run on first base.
 
Her high-wire act seemed to light a spark under the NSU bats as Chaffin hit a sharp single to right with one out in the seventh. After a walk on a terrific at bat from Taylor Williams, Ashlyn Walker sent a pitch back up the middle for an RBI single to make it 5-1.
 
An error at third allowed Vivica Hernandez to reach, loading the bases and bringing the tying run to the plate with one out. A line drive to second made it two outs before Roos slapped one the other way for an RBI single and NSU's second run of the inning.
 
Ragsdale followed with a walk and the Demons had the tying run at second base with the heart of the lineup at the plate. Unfortunately, the two-out magic that was so prevalent for the home team in the game stayed in their dugout as a ground ball to the pitcher ended the threat and the game.
 
NSU continues play in the North Texas Invitational on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. against Wichita State and follows that with a 12:30 first pitch against North Texas.