NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State out hit and outscored Stephen F. Austin over the final five innings of Sunday's Southland Conference series finale. Two swings in the first two innings however made all the difference in SFA's 10-6 win to sweep the series.
A one-out grand slam in the top of the first from Lilly Bean and three-run home run in the top of the second from Hope Lusk provided enough cushion for the 'Jacks (20-19, 9-6) to hold off a relentless Demon offense that matched sprayed 11 hits, six of them doubles, across the park in the game.
The Demons (4-34, 1-14) hit three of their six doubles in the game in the bottom of the seventh to put up a three spot in the frame. It was the first time NSU hit more than five doubles in a conference game since hitting eight in a 15-2 route of Lamar in 2021.
"We got behind early and just couldn't work our way all the way out of that hole," head coach
Jenny Fuller said. "It definitely wasn't our best game in any of the phases but they stuck with it and played to the end. Kaymie (Chandler) was able to keep the game in reach for us and that group at the top of the lineup was able to do damage all day. They never gave up and I'm proud of them for that."
NSU was playing from behind from essentially the start of the game. Starter
Brooklynn Stohler got the first batter to fly out to left, but the next four batters in a row reach on a walk, two base hits and the haymaker of a grand slam that hit the top of the wall and bounced over to give SFA 4-0 lead out of the shoot.
The scrappy Demons showed signs of what was to come in the game in the bottom of the inning pushing two runs across to cut the lead in half.
Aly Delafield and
DJ Lynch hit back-to-back doubles with one out to score NSU's first run of the game. Delafield extended her conference game hitting streak to nine straight with the first of her two doubles in the game and Lynch picked up her sixth RBI in the past seven games with her two-bagger.
Lynch scored two batters later on a first-and-third double steal of second and home to make it a 4-2 game.
The top of the second played out nearly identically to the first for the 'Jacks. A fly ball to left gave reliever Chandler the first out of the inning before two straight singles and a home run put them up 7-2.
NSU chipped into the lead in the fourth by taking advantage of a fielding error at second. The extra out was cashed in by
Riley Schwisow who reached on an infield single to short that scored Ary Garcia Santana from third, who hit her first career double earlier in the inning.
Four hits in the top of the fifth though gave SFA the run, plus one more, right back stretching the lead to six at 9-3. And RBI double with two out in the seventh gave the 'Jacks their largest lead of the day of seven.
NSU's rally in the seventh started with Delafield and Lynch who matched their first inning double-double combo.
Brynn Daniel scored Delafield from third on the Demons third straight hit and
Sara Kate Booker brought Lynch in with the fourth straight hit, a double that missed clearing the fence by less than half a foot.
The trio of Delafield, Lynch and Daniel combined to go 8-for-10 with four doubles in the game.
Over the final five innings of the game the Demons collected eight hits and outscored SFA 4-3.
