NATCHITOCHES – A pair of crooked-number innings helped McNeese win a series-opening slugfest against Northwestern State on Thursday night 10-8.
The Demons (14-21, 2-8) scored in four different innings in the game, pushing two or more across three different times, but a four-run third and a six-run fifth gave the Cowgirls (21-13, 6-1) enough offense to win the game.
On a tough night all around for both defenses, the Demons took advantage of a first-inning error to jump ahead quickly.
A dropped fly ball in left allowed
Tristin Court to reach base and with two outs in the inning,
Cameron Curtis blasted her first career home run over the left field wall to put the Demons up 2-0. It was the first home run for NSU since Feb. 24 against Syracuse.
With one out in the top of the third, McNeese put together its first go-ahead rally of the game with three straight singles to load the bases. An error at second allowed the first run to score and the Demons got the second out on a soft liner to second.
A bases-clearing double to the base of the wall in right scored three unearned runs and gave McNeese its first lead of the game.
The lead lasted for just two batters in the bottom of the inning as
Taylor Williams singled through the right side to open the inning and Court demolished her third home run of the season over the stands in left to tie the game.
A pair of two-out doubles gave the Demons the lead back in the bottom of the fourth when
Mia Liscano split the gap in right and Williams followed with a shot to dead center making it a 5-4 NSU lead after four innings.
The slugfest continued in the next half inning when McNeese took the lead on a two-run double to left, the third of three straight hits to start the inning. An obstruction call at home allowed another run to score and a sacrifice bunt made it and 8-5 game.
The conference leader in home runs, McNeese's Corine Poncho, extended the lead with a two-run home run to right giving the Cowgirls the 10-5 lead.
The Demons fought back in the bottom of the sixth inning when three straight batters reached base with one out. A throwing error on a potential double play ball allowed two runs to score as the ball got away from the first baseman.
Curtis delivered her second extra base hit of the game on the next pitch with
Laney Roos racing around from first to score around the tag at the plate for Curtis' third RBI of the game and pulling the Demons within a pair at 10-8.
NSU brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh after a
Sophia Livers single to right, but a fly out to left ended the game three pitches later.
NSU outhit McNeese 12-10 in the game with four of the first five batters in the Demon lineup collected two hits in the game. Liscano added a pair of hits from the nine-hole and scored two runs in the game.
The Demons hit five doubles and seven total extra base hits in the game with both teams combining for 11 total extra base hits.
The teams continue to series on Friday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at the Demon Diamond and streaming on ESPN+.
