Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 NATCHITOCHES, La. – Due to rain in Natchitoches, La. this week, Lamar University and Northwestern State were forced to alter the schedule of their three-game series – canceling Thursday's game and opening the series Friday evening and playing a doubleheader Saturday. The Cardinals took the first game of the day, 9-7, but Northwestern State rallied late to take the second game, 6-5.
 
Brooks Caple (3-0) got the start in the first and went 6.2 to get the win. He was charged with seven runs (all earned) but kept the Cardinals in the game until the offense could rally. He struck out eight batters with just one walk. Jackson Cleveland (6) pitched the final 2.1 allowing just one hit with a walk and a strikeout to earn the save.
 
Northwestern State's Alex Makarwich took the loss after pitching 3.0 innings allowing five runs – four earned – on three hits with a strikeout and five walks.
 
Hunter Hesseltine started the second game of the day for LU and went 4.2 allowing just two earned runs on seven hits with six strikeouts but didn't figure into the decision. Trhea Morse (1-3) came on in relief but took the loss after giving up two unearned runs 0.2 of an inning.
 
The Demons' Kyle Froehlich came on in relief in the second game and pitched 3.2 allowing two runs on four hits with a couple of walks to get the win.
 
The Cardinal offense scored 14 runs between the two games on 13 hits. Five different players recorded hits for LU in the first game led by a multi-hit effort from Kanin Dodge (2-for-5, run). LU also had five players get a hit in the second led by a 3-for-4 performance (walk, run) from Kevin Bermudez.
 
In the opening game, the Cardinals scored five runs through the first four innings and led 5-2 after four despite facing a deficit in the first inning. LU held the three-run advantage until the bottom half of the fifth when Northwestern State answered back with two runs.
 
Still leading by a run, the Cardinals scored three runs on three hits and took advantage of an NSU error to extend their lead to four. After Bermudez reached on a fielding error, he was brought home three pitches later when Easton Culp homered to left center. With two outs and the bases loaded, Ben MacNaughton scored from third on a wild pitch.
 
NSU answered back with three runs of their own in the home half of the inning before the Cardinals got one back in the top of the eighth on a fielder's choice off the bat of Josh Blankenship. The final run was more than enough as the Cardinals held on in the bottom half of the ninth to even up the series.
 
The second game was more of a pitcher's duel that saw Northwestern State jump on the board first with a single run in the bottom of the first. That one-run lead would hold until the third when the Cardinals would tie the game up on a sacrifice fly from Culp.
 
It was a 2-1 Northwestern State lead heading into the top of the sixth when the Cardinals struck for two runs on a couple of walks and a Demon error. After walks put runners at first and third, the duo of MacNaughton and Bermudez moved up on a double steal and a throwing error by the catcher allowed Bermudez to score and MacNaughton to advance to third. NSU then intentionally walk Ryan Snell to try and set up a double play, but Blankenship hit a fly ball to right which was caught but it was deep enough to score MacNaughton giving LU its first lead of the game. Big Red would make it 4-2 with another run in the seventh inning. Unfortunately, the Demons answered back with four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and held off a late Lamar rally for the victory.
 
The Cardinals return to action Tuesday when they travel to Houston for a rematch with Rice. The game against the Owls will begin at 6:30 p.m. from Reckling Park.