By Jonathon Zenk, Northwestern State Assistant Director of Communications; featured photo by Gary Hardamon
NATCHITOCHES—Northwestern State received strong performances from all facets, as it rolled to an 11-1 run-rule victory over Grambling State on Tuesday evening at Brown-Stroud Field.
The Demons (9-7) allowed just two hits in the game and received contributions throughout the lineup, as they controlled the game from the outset.
“I am impressed with the complete nature of what took place,” head coach Chris Bertrand said. “I told the guys in the locker room even before the game started that I thought we had one of the best, if not the best practice of the entire season, as we prepared for the game. From the time we stretched at 3:30 until we got the last out, I am proud of the entire body of work that took place. I am proud of the entire ball club, from top to bottom.
“In all three phases, it was a complete and complementary baseball game.”
Eight of the nine Demons in the starting lineup recorded at least one hit, with all eight of them knocking in at least one run, and only Bryce Johnson drove in more than one.
Johnson’s two runs driven in came on a big swing in the fourth inning, a home run to cap off a four-run inning in the third to bust the game wide open.
“It felt good to hit that one,” Johnson said. “He fooled me once on a slider and he threw it to me again for a ball. I knew at some point it was coming, but it felt real good to get some runs on the board and go win the game.”
While Northwestern State didn’t record a hit until the third inning, it didn’t need to wait that long to break out on top, as it used two walks, a hit by pitch and two errors to score three runs in the second inning to break out on top.
The Demons broke it open the following inning, led by Johnson’s long ball, but posted five hits with two being for extra bases.
The first three men reached, as Sam Stephenson and Braden Benton record RBI hits following a leadoff single from Rocco Gump. The hit parade helped knock out Taylor Dooley, who had replaced starter Nick Robinson in the second.
While the offense was giving Northwestern State’s pitching staff plenty of breathing room, the staff, led by starter Kevin Robinson, did their part to close door on the Tigers offense.
Robinson (3-0) faced just one over the minimum through three innings, allowing just one hit and one walk, one of which was wiped out on a double play.
He cemented his fantastic start by wiggling out of a two-on, nobody out jam by striking out Aries Gardner and inducing an inning-ending double play off the bat of Nyan Hayes.
“Everything was working for me,” Robinson said. “I was just mixing pitches and getting guys off balance and getting the ball on the ground and letting my guys behind me work.”
Daniel Burroway hit an RBI single through the right side to push it to 8-0 before Grambling dented the scoreboard.
A bases loaded walk was the only blemish on what was a brilliant day by the Demons bullpen, as Aidan Newton, Conner Bivins, Wesley Marien and Brandon Carter combined to allow just the one run on zero hits, retiring the last seven batters faced. Four of the hitters were retired via the strikeout, including three in one inning by Marien.
The Demons capped off the scoring in the fifth, as the first five batters reached, including three extra base hits, as Hudson Brignac led off with a triple and Reese Lipoma followed with an RBI single and back-to-back RBI doubles off the bats of Balin Valentine and Rocco Gump.
The Demons return to action Friday when they travel to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for a weekend series with the Islanders before a return trip to Grambling on March 18.
Northwestern State 11, Grambling 1, 7 innings
GSU 000 010 0 – 1 2 2
NSU 034 130 x – 11 11 0
W – Kevin Robinson (3-0). L – Nick Robinson (0-2). 2B – NSU, Balin Valentine; Rocco Gump; Samuel Stephenson. HR – NSU, Bryce Johnson (1). Highlights: GSU, Trey Bridges 1-2, RBI. NSU, Gump 2-2, RBI; Stephenson 2-3, RBI; Johnson 1-3, HR, 2 RBIs; Hudson Brignac 2-3, RBI.
Records: Grambling 4-11, Northwestern State 9-7.
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