Natchitoches, La. – Northwestern State scored multiple runs in four different innings, breaking the game open with a four-run fourth inning and sealing the victory with a seven-run seventh in a 15-0 win over ULM Tuesday night at Brown-Stroud Field.
The Demons (3-3 overall) took advantage of two ULM errors in the fourth inning, and then sent 12 men to the plate in the seventh inning. Meanwhile, the Warhawks (3-4 overall) never advanced a baserunner past second base.
"You've got to tip your cap to Northwestern State," head coach Michael Federico said. "Very mature, experienced team, fundamentally sound. They played an errorless game and didn't walk a batter as well or hit a batter."
The Demons opened the scoring in the third inning with Sam Taylor's sacrifice fly to score Lenni Kunert and Luke Watson's RBI single plated Jeffrey Elkins for the 2-0 lead.
Two ULM errors in the fourth inning, one to open the inning and another on a relay throw to the infield, allowed the Demons to score four runs and break the game open at 6-0.
Kolten Childress entered the game in the fourth inning and tossed 2.1 innings of scoreless relief, giving up no hits while walking one and striking out five Demons.
NSU then put any ULM rally hopes to rest in the seventh inning, scoring seven runs to grab a 13-0 lead. NSU scored two more runs in the eighth for the final margin.
"Just couldn't shut the flood gates when we needed to in some big innings," Federico said. "Had some guys in some situations that they didn't handle. We've got to get better at that. Defensively we made two errors that really cost us in the one inning. We let the one inning get away from us in the seventh. Hopefully we can learn from that. Just very disappointed in our club and our effort."
Cole Martin suffered the loss for ULM, giving up six runs, three earned, on eight hits with four strikeouts over three and two-thirds innings in the start. Cullen McDonald picked up the win for Northwestern State, throwing six shutout innings with four walks and three strikeouts in his first appearance of the season.
"I really liked our match-up with all the lefties that we had in there," Federico said of the match-up with McDonald. "His best pitch is his breaking ball and he had his changeup going tonight. We didn't really think it was going to be that good of a pitch. He really did a good job of plus-ing and minus-ing us in between pitches. I thought we struck the ball pretty well a number of times. We had some loud outs. Just didn't get some things to fall for us. Their defense, they made the plays when they needed to."
Andrew Beesley had two hits, including a double for ULM.
The Warhawks return to action this weekend in Pensacola, Florida, where they will meet Tennessee, Western Kentucky and North Florida at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
