By Jason Pugh, Northwestern State Associate Athletic Director for External Relations; featured photo by Chris Reich, NSU Photographic Services
NATCHITOCHES – Often overlooked as the third key piece of baseball, heady base running helped the Northwestern State baseball team extend a lengthy home winning streak Friday night.
Samuel Stephenson’s mad dash from third base on a wild pitch gave the Demons the winning run, completing a three-run, ninth-inning comeback that lifted Northwestern to a 7-6 Southland Conference series-opening win against UTRGV at Brown-Stroud Field.
Stephenson darted home on Vaquero right-hander Steven Oliva’s fourth pitch to Balin Valentine, delivering the winning run when Oliva’s fastball bounced off catcher Rudy Gonzalez and up the first-base line.
“(Head) Coach (Chris) Bert(rand) and (assistant coach) Billy (Henley) and I were talking before we broke up when the pitcher was warming up,” Stephenson said. “They said it wouldn’t take much for it to kick away with (Oliva) being 91 to 93 or possibly 95. Just looking for it to kick away and leave a little bit to chance.”
Stephenson’s head-first slide was reviewed – the second straight run in the three-run ninth that had to survive a trip to the booth.
Rocco Gump’s game-tying single that scored Hudson Brignac withstood a challenge of Brignac not touching the plate. On that play, Stephenson alertly moved from second to third as the ball got away from Gonzalez.
“The importance of preparation, of scouting reports, of communication between coaches and players,” Bertrand said. “When they put (Oliva) in the game and you see the scouting report and you see the spin rate on the breaking ball, what you do is you go. Me and Billy talked to Sam and said, ‘Hey, a big-time arm with big-time spin is going to create a big bounce off.’ It doesn’t have to go far. We were able to get it done.”
The Demons (19-11, 11-5) had a long way to go to keep their home win streak alive. Northwestern, which hasn’t dropped a home game since its Feb. 14 season opener against Central Arkansas, found itself down four runs on two occasions after the Vaqueros (20-9, 12-4) scored six runs across the first four innings.
A three-run first and back-to-back, two-out doubles in the second gave UTRGV a 4-0 lead against Northwestern starter Dylan Marionneaux, who lasted two-plus innings and surrendered five runs.
Across the final 21 outs, four Demon relievers made pivotal pitch after pivotal pitch to keep the game within striking distance.
Caden Fiveash handled the bulk of the innings, allowing one run in three innings before the pairing of fifth-year senior Corbin Talley and sophomore right-hander Austin Anderson (1-0) delivered three innings of scoreless relief to set up the Demons’ second win this season when trailing after eight innings.
“Our pen, how we work together each and every day, we had each other’s backs,” Talley said. “That’s the whole part of baseball, being brothers at the end of the day, finishing someone’s inning or someone finishing your inning. It’s awesome to support them and to watch them do good.”
Talley inherited a one-on, no-out situation from Fiveash in the seventh and got a double play and fly ball to end the threat. One inning later, Anderson took over a one-on, one-out situation from Talley and surrendered a double to Thomas Williams before striking out a pair of Vaqueros with two runners in scoring position.
Those big pitches allowed the Demons to fashion their final rally – one that began with a one-out, full-count walk by pinch hitter Bryce Johnson.
Johnson advanced on a Hudson Brignac single and after UTRGV third baseman Easton Moomau robbed Reese Lipoma of a double with a leaping grab, the Demons did not see another out.
Stephenson fought off a 1-2 count to single home Johnson before Gump brought home Brignac with the tying run.
Four pitches, two reviews and a pitching change later, the Demons extended their home Southland Conference winning streak to eight games dating to last season.
“(Johnson’s walk) shifted the momentum back to us and gave us a chance to make a run at it,” Stephenson said. “Pass the stick to the next person and keep the line moving. We’re resilient. Just hoping to fight through it.”
The series continues at 2 p.m. Saturday with a matchup of right-handers. Tyler Bryan (1-3, 6.94) will take the mound for the Demons against UTRGV right-hander Wyatt Wiatrek (4-0, 1.59).
Northwestern State 7, UTRGV 6
UTRGV 311 100 000 – 6 14 0
NSU 020 010 103 – 7 10 0
W – Austin Anderson (1-0). L – Nick Nolan (0-1). 2B – UTRGV, Easton Moomau, Armani Raygoza 3, Thomas Williams 2. NSU, Colin Rains. 3B – NSU, Reese Lipoma, HR – NSU, Daniel Burroway (7). Highlights: UTRGV, Moomau 3-6, 2B; Raygoza 4-6, 3 2Bs, 2 RBIs; Williams 2-4, 2 2Bs, RBI. NSU, Lipoma 2-5, 3B, 2 RBIs; Rocco Gump 2-5, RBI; Rains 2-4, 2B.
Records: UTRGV 20-9, 12-4; Northwestern State 19-11, 11-5.
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