WACO, Texas – Free passes and missed chances cost Northwestern State a pair of games Sunday in the final day of the Getterman Classic at Baylor.
The Demons (0-5) put runners on base in five of the seven innings against New Mexico (2-3) but were unable to produce any runs in a 2-0 loss to the Lobos. Six walks in the first two innings against Baylor (4-1) led to six early runs and an eventual 9-1 run-rule loss in five innings.
After two scoreless innings in game one of the day, the Lobos scored their first run on a hit deep into the right field corner that skipped off the glove of a diving
Aly Delafield and into the corner for an inside-the-park home run.
They used a bit of small ball to produce their second run in the following inning. A bunt single put a runner on first before a wild pitch and passed ball moved her to third. An RBI-groundout gave the Lobos the 2-0 lead after four innings.
The two blemishes were the only ones for starting pitcher
Mattison Buster who tossed her second career complete game in her first start as a Demon.
Buster allowed just two runs in 6.0 innings of work scattering five hits while striking out six, one off her career high of seven against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in March of 2025. Buster threw 15 2/3 across four appearances in her first weekend at NSU giving up six earned runs with 13 strikeouts.
The bats however could not find a complement for Buster's performance on the day, especially when they needed it most.
The Demons had the leadoff batter reach in both the second and third innings but failed to move them past second base each time. Head's up baserunning from
Brynn Daniel, who tagged from first and advanced to second on a pop out behind home plate, was as far as a Demon runner got during the game.
Hayden Andrews had a pair of base hits in the game, in the third and the fifth, for her first multi-hit game as a Demon.
In the weekend finale against the host Baylor, the Bears took immediate advantage of some off-the-mark pitches to jump out to a big lead.
Three walks in both the first and second inning led to a pair of three-run innings, coming in on a bases-clearing double in the first and an RBI-groundout and two-run double in the second.
A pair of free passes courtesy of the Bears, a walk to
Makynlie Jones and a hit-by-pitch on
Sister Arnold, allowed for
Sara Watson's flare single to load the bases for the Demons in the second. One of nine strikeouts in the game for Baylor pitcher Peyton Tanner, and third in the inning, stopped any momentum in its tracks.
The third inning played out differently though after a leadoff single from
JT Smith and infield hit from
Brynn Daniel put two on with one out. The hottest hitter for the Demons on opening weekend,
Makynlie Jones, hit her third double to bring in her fourth RBI and get the Demons on the board.
The Demons had five hits to Baylor's two through three and a half innings of play, but trailed 6-1.
The Bears stretched their lead into run-rule territory in the bottom of the fourth, after a pair of base hits through the infield and a sacrifice fly. Two more unearned runs came across later in the inning giving BU the needed eight-run advantage.
The Demons play their home opener on Tuesday at the Demon Diamond against Grambling starting at 5 p.m.
