HAMMOND — No. 1 Lamar needed a substantial response after an opening round loss to No. 8 UIW Wednesday at the Southland Baseball Championship. 

The Southland regular season champions delivered a response more than required to stave off elimination, punctuating a 12-5 statement win over No. 4 Northwestern State. 

Both teams utilized the long ball in this contest, combining for eight home runs through nine innings. 

Jacob Ellis picked up his eighth win of the season (8-1), allowing two runs on six hits with four strikeouts. Dawson Flowers recorded the loss for the Demons, totaling seven runs on five hits. 

On a glowing day for the Cardinal offense, Brayden Evans shined the brightest with two home runs that brought in four runs. River Orsak and Jack Schell also belted home runs for Lamar. 

Four different batters sent shots over the wall for NSU, including Bo Willis who opened the Demons scoring with his second home run of the tournament. 

Balin Valentine went three-of-five at the plate including a solo home run. 

Lamar’s offense mounted a lethal attack in the second inning, counting eight runs in that frame. The second inning proved costly once again for the four seed.

Austin Roccaforte brought in the first run with a bloop single with the bases loaded without any outs. Ethan Ruiz followed with another RBI single that brought in two more runs to make the lead 3-0. 

A sac bunt positioned Kanin Dodge for an RBI double to extend the margin to 5-0. That swing set up Evans for a three-run shot, giving the Cardinals a commanding 8-0 lead. 

School added on with a solo shot in the fifth and Lamar led 9-0. 

Willis would sent his home run out in the top of the sixth before a fielder’s choice scored one more and NSU had its first two runs of the game. 

Valentine, Chris Rains and Daniel Young each drove out their own solo home runs and would cut the NSU deficit in half, but Lamar added two more runs in the eighth to finish of the victory.

The Cardinals will face the loser of Thursday’s matchup between UIW and No. 5 McNeese on Friday. NSU is eliminated from postseason play.