JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Hits that results in multiple bases are great when they go for you, deadly when they come against you.
Northwestern State surrendered 12 such hits across a pair of games on Sunday leading to a 5-3 loss to DePaul (8-8) and a 10-0 run-rule defeat against Jacksonville State (11-4) to close week three of the 2026 season on Sunday afternoon.
For the third time in the first four games of the weekend, the Demons (5-12) put up multiple runs in their first at-bat of the game.
After two quick outs to start the day,
Brynn Daniel started a 2-out rally with the first of three straight base hits. She scored on
Aly Delafield's shot through the left side to give the Demons a 1-0 lead. Back-to-back hit batters after Delafield's hit added another run as
Sister Arnold picked up an RBI the hard way with the bases loaded.
An infield single from
Camryn Becnel put a third run on the board and chased DePaul starting pitcher Kelly Greene.
DePaul doubles in the first and third inning led to single runs both times, cutting the early Demons lead down to one after three innings. The Demons were unable to take advantage of 1-out baserunners in the second and fourth innings, something that would haunt them in the DePaul half of the fourth.
The Blue Demons' third of four doubles in the game tied things at three in the bottom of the fourth. After a big strikeout to give NSU its second out of the inning, the deciding swing of the game from Maya Wondaal sent a ball over the left field wall for a 2-run home run and a 5-3 DePaul lead.
NSU starting pitcher
Brooklynn Stohler allowed just one more baserunner after the long ball, putting up zeros in the fifth and sixth inning on the way to her first complete game of the season.
The Demon bats however were unable to string anything together in two of the three final chances. NSU got the tying run on base in the seventh after consecutive singles from Daniel and
Makynlie Jones, the second hits for both in the game, but a fly ball to center ended the threat and the game.
Against the host Gamecocks in the weekend finale, the Demons were able to escape the extra-base hit damage in the first, stranding a one-out double, but the third inning would end much differently.
Down 1-0 after an RBI single in the second, Jax State exploded for six extra-base hits in the inning, including two separate instances with back-to-back multi-bag hits. Four of the five doubles in the frame scored at least one run, the other followed a solo home run to open the scoring in the seven-run inning.
NSU picked up two hits in the game, singles from
JT Smith and
Makynlie Jones in the third and fourth innings respectively.
The Demons return to action next weekend as they host Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Missouri State in the 2026 City of Lights Classic at the Demon Diamond in the final non-conference weekend before Southland Conference play begins.
