YOUNGSVILLE, La. – A six-run sixth led to a walk-off single and a Friday afternoon doubleheader split for Northwestern State on day one of the 2026 Mardi Gras Mambo.
 
After being stymied offensively by SIUE (1-5) in the opener, falling 5-0 to open the weekend, the Demons (2-6), trailing 8-1 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, batted around to the tune of six runs setting up the first walk-off win of the season, 9-8 over Georgia State (5-2).
 
With the bases loaded and down to her final strike, sophomore Brynn Daniel delivered a floating base hit into shallow right field to score Sophia Livers from third completing the seven-run comeback victory.
 
"I got down in the count with two quick strikes," Daniel said. "But I was able to see a couple pitches and worked it to a 3-2 count so I knew she had to give me something to hit because if not she's going to walk in the winning run. I was just thinking get on top of the ball. She had gone away to me every other pitch so I was thinking that way and doing my job for my team."
 
It is the second time in the past two season the Demons have erased a seven-run deficit in a win, doing so against Alabama State on Feb. 28 of 2025, ending in a the same 9-8 final score as Friday night.
 
It was the first walk-off hit for the Demons since Mia Liscano against Texas Southern in 2024.
 
The dramatic victory was set up by the signature inning of the game, the six-run sixth, the fifth crooked number inning of the season for the Demons.
 
After the leadoff batter was retired on two pitches, the next five batters in a row reached base, helped along by four walks, the final two from Cash Herber and JT Smith each bringing in a run. In her first game back from an injury, freshman McKenna Rinewalt delivered the first clutch hit of her career, a three-run triple down the left field line, cutting the Panther lead to 8-6. She scored on a wild pitch during Daniel's sixth-inning at bat making it a one-run affair going to the seventh.
 
"That's the definition of a full team win," Daniel said. "Even if you didn't have an at-bat, you pinch ran, you were in the field, you were catching in the bullpen. It takes a full team to do and even if you weren't on the field, you're in the dugout cheering on your teammates and giving them motivation to do what needs to be done for the team. We had so many people do their job tonight."
 
Making her second appearance of the day, junior Mattison Buster entered the game with a runner on and no out in the seventh. Seven pitches later she was back in the dugout with two strikeouts and a soft grounder to third, securing the momentum full in the NSU dugout.
 
"Our pitchers have been amazing all year and it's really been the hitters that need to catch up to them," Daniel said. "They (Georgia State) scored eight runs but we were battling. I'm really proud of (Mattison) Buster and Brooklynn (Stohler). Not easy to come in the game mid inning or mid at-bat but they shut them down. Buster was striking out people and we're all just screaming on the field. She brings so much energy and Brooklynn is always solid."
 
Daniel's heroics were possible thanks to a leadoff walk from Aly Delafield to start the bottom of the seventh, aggressive baserunning from pinch-runner Hayden Andrews to find her way to third on a wild pitch and a 3-2 base hit through the left side for RBI-machine DJ Lynch.
 
The win was another welcome bounce-back performance following a disappointing start to the day with the 5-0 loss to SIUE.
 
With only one hit between the two team through the first three innings of the game, starting pitchers Mia Volpert (SIUE) and Mattison Buster (NSU) were dominating the opposing lineups.
 
The Cougars though broke through in the fourth getting the first two batter on to start the inning. Following an error at short that allowed the first run of the game to score, the two quick outs that followed would have ended the inning, but instead a hit batter, wild pitch and two-run single pushed the lead to four.
 
The Demons did not get their first hit until a leadoff single from Makynlie Jones in the bottom of the fifth, and only managed three total in the game.
 
Volpert threw 6.0 innings allowing just one hit with three strikeouts and no walks.
 
NSU continues play in the Mardi Gras Mambo on Saturday with a doubleheader against New Mexico and Eastern Illinois beginning at 3 p.m.