NATCHITOCHES – Wednesday night's non-conference matchup with Southern gave the Northwestern State baseball team a chance to respond.
 
The Demons did so in workmanlike fashion, grinding out a 9-3 victory against the visiting Jaguars at Brown-Stroud Field, bouncing back from Tuesday's loss to Louisiana Tech.
 
"This is one of those games where you have to celebrate the good that can come out of it, and the good news is we responded from (Tuesday) night," third-year head coach Chris Bertrand said. "We did have a bounce back. We did create some pressure and traffic. We did – at the end of the day – find a way to get back in the win column and get some things back over to our side that we can use this weekend, but we are well aware that we need to be better with runners in scoring position and be more efficient on the mound."
 
Northwestern (22-11) rebounded from its first home shutout loss of the season by scoring in each of the first seven innings, but the Demons never scored more than two runs in one inning.
 
That came despite nine Southern (11-20) pitchers issuing nine walks and hitting another five Demon hitters.
 
Both teams created traffic throughout traffic throughout the game with both continuously looking for a key hit. The teams combined to hit 5-for-32 with runners in scoring position.
 
Northwestern took advantage of the early wildness of Southern starter Jeremiah Eneix (0-4) to hang four runs on the left-hander in one-plus innings. Eneix issued three walks and gave up four hits while facing nine batters.
 
"It's always hard, especially after two midweek games," said second baseman Brooks Leonard, who went 1-for-2 with a pair of RBIs atop the lineup. "Bodies are tired. We're just competing, and we have to stay focused mentally. That's the biggest thing coach Bert said was mental focus. We had some quality at-bats at times, and at times, we didn't, but at the end of the day, we came out with the win."
 
Those early runs were enough for Caden Fiveash (3-0) and three Demon relievers.
 
Making his first career start, Fiveash worked a career-long four innings, dancing around trouble to limit the Jaguars to one run.
 
Connor Wilson followed with a scoreless fifth and Noah Spears, making his first appearance since Feb. 24, allowed a run in the sixth before stranding the bases loaded.
 
"Some of those guys, it was their first time out there in a while," Bertrand said. "They need that opportunity, and I'm proud in the way they did compete, but there's way we can be more efficient by having a little more intent and competitiveness with the pitch execution so we don't put ourselves in such laborious positions."
 
Offensively, the Demons spread out the production among their seven hits. Zach White (2-for-4) and Bryce Johnson (2-for-5) had the only multi-hit games, driving in a run each while Leonard and Ethan Menard each had a pair of RBIs.
 
When the Jaguars did strike for runs – doing so in the third, sixth and seventh innings – the Demons had an answer for the first two before freshman left-hander Kade Bryant closed out the win with three innings of one-run ball to capture his first career save.
 
Like Spears, Bryant was making his first appearance in more than a month, having last pitched March 3 against Grambling when he struck out two in a scoreless inning of his Demon debut.
 
Wednesday night, Bryant recorded five of his nine outs via strikeout while issuing only one walk.
 
"During that time, I just kept grinding," Bryant said. "We got out here each and every day, bullpens, throwing and taking everything seriously until I got another opportunity. I was confident in myself. Mentally, I felt like I could compete and win the ball game."
 
The Demons return to action Friday when they host HCU in the opener of a three-game Southland Conference series. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
 
Northwestern State 9, Southern 3
SU         001 001 100 – 3 8 2
NSU     221 121 00x – 9 7 1
W – Caden Fiveash (3-0). L – Jeremiah Eneix (0-4). S – Kade Bryant (1). 2B – SU, Ryan Hunter. NSU, Zach White. 3B – SU, KJ White Jr. Highlights: SU, White 4-5; Jacoby Radcliffe 2-3, RBI. NSU, Bryce Johnson 2-5, RBI; White 2-4, RBI.
Records: Southern 11-20; Northwestern State 22-11.