LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas – The Northwestern State baseball team was unable to maintain the momentum from a late rally in Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader at Little Rock and dropped both games to the Trojans at Gary Hogan Field.
 
In both games, the Demons fell behind early before staging a late-game rally that came up short, scoring three in the ninth inning of a 7-3 Game 1 loss and two in the fifth inning of a 4-2 loss in the seven-inning series finale.
 
In the opener, the Demons (4-12) were poised to take their first lead of the series in the second after Colin Rains doubled off starter Thomas Kuykendoll (2-0) to start the second inning.
 
Kuykendoll, however, recovered after a sacrifice bunt by Balin Valentine to strike out the final two hitters of the inning before the Trojans (10-6) put together a six-run answer in their half of the second.
 
Seven Little Rock hitters singled in a span of eight batters in the inning before Dawson Flowers (1-1) induced a double-play ball to end the inning.
 
From that point on, the Northwestern State bullpen stood tall as right-handers Aidan Newton, Alejandro Marquez and Josh Miller closed the game with five innings of scoreless, one-hit relief.
 
Down 7-0 in the ninth, the Demon offense took advantage of Valentine's leadoff double, a hit by pitch and a walk to load the bases ahead of an RBI single from Rocco Gump, a bases-loaded walk from Bo Willis and a Daniel Burroway RBI fielder's choice to cut the lead to four before running out of time.
 
The nightcap played out in a similar way.
 
Freshman right-hander Dylan Marionneaux (0-3) struck out three Trojans in the first two innings before Tyler Williams delivered a two-run, bases-loaded double in the third inning to snap a scoreless tie.
 
After Little Rock doubled its lead on two run-scoring wild pitches, the Demons responded with two in the fifth, taking advantage of a throwing error on winning pitcher Hoss Brewer (1-2).
 
Reese Lipoma put the Demons on the board with an RBI single before Gump's infield single was overturned on review and became a run-scoring groundout.
 
Adam Alexis, John Shahrdar and Austin Anderson held the Trojans scoreless the last 2 1-3 innings, allowing the Demons to bring the tying run to the plate three times in the seventh after James Starnes led off the inning with a single.
 
Jacob Weatherley retired the next three hitters following Starnes' single to record his third save.
 
Starnes was the only Demon to record a multi-hit game in the doubleheader, going 2-for-3 to notch his first career multi-hit game as a Demon.
 
The Demons return to action Tuesday when they host Louisiana Tech in the first of four straight games against the Bulldogs. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Brown-Stroud Field.
 
Little Rock 7-4, Northwestern State 3-2
Game 1
NSU     000 000 003 – 3 6 1
LR          061 000 00x – 7 10 1
W – Thomas Kuykendoll (2-0). L – Dawson Flowers (1-1). 2B – NSU, Colin Rains, Balin Valentine. Highlights: LR, Alex Seguine 2-4, RBI; Tyler Williams 2-4; Ty Rhoades 2-4.
Game 2
NSU     000 020 0 – 2 5 0
LR          002 200 x – 4 5 2
W – Hoss Brewer (1-2). L – Dylan Marionneaux (0-3). 2B – LR, Tyler Williams. Highlights: NSU, James Starnes 2-3. LR, Ty Rhoades 2-3.
Records: Northwestern State 4-12; Little Rock 10-6.