LAKE CHARLES, La. – Fifth seed Northwestern State catcher Bo Willis went 3-for-4 with a homer, driving in both runs as the Demons took a 2-1 win over second seed UIW in both teams’ first game in the 2023 Southland Conference Baseball Championship on Wednesday.
 
Northwestern State moves on to the winners’ bracket and plays the Lamar/New Orleans winner at 6 p.m. Thursday. UIW takes on the loser of the Nicholls/McNeese game in an elimination game at 11 a.m. Thursday.
 
The Cardinals took the lead in the first inning when SLC Newcomer of the Year Rey Mendoza hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Grant Randall, who had led off with a double and moved to third on a Hernan Yanez single.
 
The Demons rallied with two out in the top of the second to tie the game at one on back-to-back doubles by Willis and Gray Rowlett.
 
Willis gave the Demons the lead in the top of the fourth on the solo homer to left, and the NSU pitching staff and defense were tasked with making the lead stand up.
 
The Cardinals’ tying run was stranded at third base twice in the final four innings and the Demon defense caught two UIW runners stealing.
 
Cal Carver (7-3) earned the win, allowing the one first inning run on seven hits and two walks with no strikeouts in 6.2 innings. Chase Prestwich earned his second save of the season, allowing two hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 2.1 innings.
 
Kayden Cassidy was tagged with the hard luck loss, allowing two runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts in 8.0 innings to fall to 3-3.