Box Score RUSTON – In a wild series-opening matchup, the Northwestern State baseball team came up one big swing of momentum short.
 
The Demons used a chaotic sixth-inning rally to erase an early six-run deficit before a seeing-eye single allowed Louisiana Tech to score the final runs of a back-and-forth, 11-9 Bulldog victory at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.
 
"We continue to say it, because we believe in it and because it's the truth, and because they deserve to hear everyone say it – they fight their tails off," first-year head coach Chris Bertrand said. "We compete our tails off. We overcome so many things, even when we don't execute the best. If we want the result at the end of games to be a little different, we have to get to the point where we are more consistently executing a winning brand of baseball."
 
Northwestern State (5-13) jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Daniel Burroway's two-run single in the first after the Demons loaded the bases with no outs before Louisiana Tech starter Luke Nichols wiggled out of further trouble with a pair of strikeouts to strand two runners in scoring position.
 
The Bulldogs (14-5) ran off the next eight runs across the first two innings, putting the Demons in an early six-run hole.
 
Right-hander Alejandro Marquez gave the Demons a lift out of the bullpen with two scoreless innings, allowing NSU to again pressure Nichols in the fourth and force an early call to the bullpen for Louisiana Tech.
 
Balin Valentine's RBI single – his first career RBI – pulled the Demons within five before Cole Hill drew a walk to load the bases with one out in the fourth. The Bulldogs called on Sam Broderson, whom Reese Lipoma greeted with a two-run single.
 
After a Samuel Stephenson walk, Broderson struck out a pair of Demons to strand the bases loaded. In the first and fourth innings, NSU stranded five runners – four in scoring position.
 
"In the moments that decide games – in matters of run scoring and run prevention – we have to be better executers," Bertrand said. "You saw they were better executers today than we were."
 
The Demons saved their biggest and most chaotic rally for the sixth inning.
 
Down 9-5 with runners on the corners and two outs, Rocco Gump shot a hit-and-run single through the vacated shortstop hole. Stephenson headed toward third where he made contact with Louisiana Tech shortstop Kasten Furr before being thrown out at third base.
 
Initially, the call stood with no interference before Bertrand spoke with the umpiring crew. After a discussion, Stephenson was awarded third base.
 
On the first pitch following the delay, Bo Willis connected on a titanic, game-tying three-run home run to left field to square the game at 9. It was Willis' 18^th career home run – six of which have either tied a game or given the Demons a lead.
 
"We continue to be proud of our team for the way they navigate certain moments," Bertrand said. "The way (pitching coach) Dan (Hlad) and the bullpen does navigating a short start. The way the offense navigated a comeback and handed quality at-bats to one another and strung them together. Obviously, we're going to continue to depend on Bo. Hat's off to Bo for continuing to be a rock and a cornerstone for us."
 
The Bulldogs answered back after the topsy-turvy top of the sixth with Ethan Bates leading off with a single against Adam Alexis (0-2). Three batters later, Michael Ballard grounded a tiebreaking two-run single through a drawn-in infield to deliver the decisive runs.
 
Bates, who suffered two losses to the Demons a season ago, recorded his fourth save, backing up two scoreless innings from Grant Hubka (1-0) with 1 1-3 scoreless innings.
 
Lipoma (2-for-5), Burroway (2-for-4) and Valentine (2-for-4) paced NSU's 10-hit attack as the Demons recorded double-figure hits for the second straight game.
 
The series continues at 2 p.m. Saturday with a matchup of right-handers. Northwestern State will send senior Dawson Flowers (1-1, 6.06) to the mound against Louisiana Tech sophomore Jacob Havern (1-1, 4.66).  
 
Louisiana Tech 11, Northwestern State 9
NSU     200 304 000 – 9 10 2
LT           350 012 00x – 11 13 0
W – Grant Hubka (1-0). L – Adam Alexis (0-2). S – Ethan Bates (4). 2B – LT, Cole McConnell, Dalton Davis, Adarius Myers 2, Grant Comeaux. HR – NSU, Bo Willis (3). LT, Ethan Bates (3). Highlights: NSU, Reese Lipoma 2-5, 2 RBIs; Daniel Burroway 2-4, 2 RBIs; Balin Valentine 2-4, RBI. LT, Davis 3-5, 2B, 2 RBIs; Bates 2-3, HR, 3 RBIs; Myers 2-5, 2 2Bs; Comeaux 2-5, 2B.
Records: Northwestern State 5-13; Louisiana Tech 14-5.