NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State experienced both ends of the spectrum Friday at the City of Light Classic, riding a no-hitter and a 10-run inning to a dominant opener before running into a Missouri State ace in a split of the day's doubleheader.
 
For the first time since 2020, the Demons (6-13) scored 10 runs in an inning, plenty of support for Mattison Buster's first career no-hitter, the first by a Demon since 2022, in a 14-0, run-rule win against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-8) to start the day.
 
It took until the late stages of game two however for the offense to get going against Missouri State (10-6) ace Emily Koranda, who held the Demons to two hits through five innings with seven total strikeouts in a 6-1 Bear win.
 
"Obviously really proud of Mattison for the no-hitter. Those are really hard to come by and it was awesome to watch," head coach Jenny Fuller said. "The hitters did their thing and hit really well to back her up. Just have to tip our hat to Koranda. She had a 1.00 ERA coming into this weekend for a reason and she did a good job, but we showed some signs of life towards the end of the game. I think we can carry that momentum going into tomorrow."
 
The 16^th no-hitter in program history got off to a bit of an awkward start as Buster was called for more than one illegal pitch in the first inning. One of which led to the first baserunner of the game on a walk to the leadoff batter. It was one of two free passes and three total baserunners for the Lions in the game.
 
Buster's demeanor in the circle, something she has displayed on multiple occasions all year, did not rattle the veteran, getting the next three in the inning and nine in a row overall.
 
"I was excited and really felt like I was in a groove all day," Buster said. "I was feeling good in my warm ups and all my pitches were working. I had a few illegal pitches called in the first inning so that kind of riled me up a little bit. But one of the things I'm most proud of is my capability to slow myself down and reset. Relying on that and trusting that I can make adjustments quickly and trusting my teammates."
 
She struck out four batters over the final two innings of the game, finishing with five Ks total and punching out the final two batters of the game to secure the no-no.
 
Although she needed very little run support in the game, she got plenty of it with a fourth-inning explosion by the Demon bats.
 
Already leading 4-0 after two runs in both the second and third innings, the Demons sent 15 batters to the plate, pounded out nine hits and pushed across 10 runs to completely break open the game in the bottom of the fourth.
 
Among the onslaught was the long-awaited first home run of the season for NSU. Sister Arnold demolished a 1-0 pitch over the outfield bleachers in left for the first Demon dinger of the season. It was one of just two extra-base hits in the 10-run frame, the other a Sophia Livers double.
 
Brynn Daniel, Camryn Becnel, DJ Lynch, Peyton Young and Makynlie Jones all had RBI singles in the inning with Young's and Jones' bringing in two each. Becnel, who had a two-run single in the third picked up her career-high fourth RBI in the game with her fourth-inning hit.
 
"It can be hard being a pitcher and sitting on the bench for that long but it's ok. I wasn't mad about the 10 runs," Buster said laughing. "I knew I had a little bit of leeway at least if something did happen, but I just took a little walk every now and then to make sure my legs still worked."
 
The 10 runs were the most in a single inning since 2020 when the Demons put up 18, also against UAPB, also in the bottom of the fourth.
 
"I had a feeling somebody would hit a home run today, so happy for Sister that she was able to do that," Fuller said. "We got a lot of people in the game and everybody was doing their job with timely hitting and a really great offensive game."
 
The second game saw a perhaps not quite as dominant, but nonetheless impressive, pitching performance from Missouri State's ace in Emily Koranda.
 
The freshman lived up to her billing, entering the weekend with an ERA of 1.20 on the season in 48.0 innings of work. She stymied the blazing hot Demon bats, holding them to just two hits through the first five innings of the game.
 
Daniel ripped a double to left in the first inning and Jones singled through the left side to open the second, but the Demons were unable to break through against Koranda in those innings, allowing her to settle into the game. She retired 6-of-the-next-7 batters she faced allowing her offense to build a lead behind her.
 
The Bears took the lead in the first on a base hit through the left side with two-out and added to it with a two-run double and RBI single in the third to take a 4-0 lead. A two-run home run in the fifth pushed the advantage to 6-0.
 
The long ball chased starter Brooklynn Stohler for the Demon freshman pitcher Grace Birk who turned in one of her best outings of her young career in relief.
 
The Kansas native threw the final 2 2/3 innings of the game without allowing a hit and striking out a pair of batters, coming in back-to-back fashion to end the sixth inning.
 
"Grace came in and pitched with confidence. We needed to see that and she needed to do that," Fuller said. "Hopefully we can see more of her tomorrow doing the same kind of thing."
 
After being held in check through five full innings, the Demons were finally able to apply pressure to Koranda in the sixth. Arnold singled to open the inning and Riley Schwisow followed suit, but a bad-luck double play ended the threat and the inning two batters later.
 
The seventh though saw two more hard hit balls as Mckenna Rinewalt launched her first career home run over the wall in right to break up the shutout with one gone in the inning. JT Smith lined a double to left with two out, adding the confidence back into the Demon offense, despite the final out coming three pitches later.
 
"We scattered our hits against her but just couldn't get that timely hit," Fuller said. "I think if we do see her tomorrow we have a good idea of what she throws. But that was huge by Mckenna, a pinch-hit at that, to come in and hit that out and give us some confidence."
 
NSU plays round two with both UAPB and Missouri State on Saturday in reverse order as they meet the Bears at 12:30 p.m. followed immediately by the second game against the Lions at 3 p.m.