Barbazon’s grand slam caps Northwestern State sweep to open softball season

HOUSTON, Texas – Northwestern State used offensive bursts and quality pitching to log two wins to open the Lady Demons’ season at the Houston Invitational.

NSU scored a combined nine runs in the final two innings of Saturday’s games, logging a 12-2 win (six innings) against UMass Lowell before fending off Valpo in 6-1 fashion.

The Lady Demons (2-0) finish the Houston Invitational on Sunday with an 11:30 a.m. meeting with Fordham and 2 p.m. matchup with host Houston.

Northwestern State 6, Valpo 1

The Lady Demons were clinching to a 2-1 lead in the seventh inning before senior Hayley Barbazon belted a grand slam in the seventh inning to give NSU plenty of breathing room.

The home run was Barbazon’s first career grand slam and fourth career home run.

An error, a Emma Hawthorne single and Kaitlyn St. Clair walk loaded the bases for Barbazon. She went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored.

“We got people on base, but we couldn’t put things together early,” said NSU coach Donald Pickett. (Valpo pitcher Kelsie Packard) was doing good job, but we just kept putting pressure on, and Barbs came through with the big hit.

“The pitching did a really good job of keeping us in the game by not giving up early runs to where we didn’t press offensively.”

Jensen did a great job of handling emotions of first Demon start. Wants to prove herself. Did a really good job of keeping us in the game. Got through five innings, and we brought Guile in to show them something

That was more than enough run support for the pitching combination of Jensen Howell and Samantha Guile.

Howell (1-0) picked up her first NSU win by allowing one run on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Guile pitched 1 2-3 relief innings working around two hits to keep the Crusaders at bay, earning a save.

Three of Howell’s first four innings were three-up, three-down, and she dodged two base runners in the second inning as part of the one-run effort.

Howell masterfully avoided a big inning in the fifth when Valpo loaded the bases with one out on a walk and two singles. Howell forced a pop up before Westphal pushed across the first run on a bases-loaded single with two outs. But NSU closed the door on a fly out to end the inning.

“Howell did a great job of handling the emotions of making her first Demon start today,” Pickett said of the Louisiana Tech and LSU-Eunice transfer. “She really wants to prove herself, and she did a really good job of keeping us in the game.

“She got through their lineup a couple of times, and we brought Guile in to show them something different, and she finished the job.”

NSU populated the base paths early but couldn’t deliver the knock out punch until Barbazon’s grand slam.

The Lady Demons manufactured a first-inning run when Delafield drove in Vincent with a ground out RBI.

The bases were loaded after Vincent singled, DuBois walked and Perry (2-4) singled, but Valpo starter Kelsie Packard avoided further trouble by stranding two runners in scoring position.

The Lady Demons loaded the bases again in the second inning, plating one run on an error before Valpo starter Kelsie Packard recorded two of her five strikeouts to end the opportunity.

Northwestern State 12, UMass Lowell 2 (6)

NSU didn’t wait long in the 2020 season to unleash its offense as the Lady Demons exploded for two five-run innings in the six-inning win Saturday morning.

NSU struck for five runs in the second inning, chasing starter Kaylie See (0-1) early.

E.C. Delafield scored on a wild pitch after being put into scoring position by an Emma Hawthorne double to left field.

Senior Kaitlyn St. Clair singled in Hawthorne for a 2-0 edge.

After a Cayla Jones fielder’s choice plated Maggie Black (walked), Alexis Perry capped the inning with a bases-loaded double, scoring Elise Vincent (fielder’s choice) and Jones.

The Lady Demons made the most of their three hits and three free passes against White, who lasted 1 2-3 innings and allowed five runs on three hits and five walks. NSU tallied 10 hits overall.

“I’m proud of the way we came out all day,” Pickett said. “We wanted to be confident in everything we did, knowing we would make some mistakes.

“But we did a really good of scoring early, and then adjusting to the new pitcher and scoring some late runs as well.”

NSU added two more runs in the third inning when Elise Vincent laced a two-out triple to center. St. Clair reached base with a bunt single and Hayley Barbazon walked as the Lady Demons pulled to 7-0.

The Lady Demons capped the run-rule win with five runs in the sixth inning thanks to two home runs.

Jones bombed a two-run home run to centerfield, also scoring Vincent, who led off with a bunt single.

Delafield walloped a three-run home run three batters later. Freshman Keely DuBois (walked) and sophomore Alexis Perry (singled) made the second home run sting even more.

Delafield (2-for-3) and Jones (1-for-4) each had three RBIs and two runs scored.

Vincent set the tone in the leadoff position, going 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs. St. Clair contributed a 2-for-4 effort with an RBI and a run scored.

DuBois reached base in all four of her plate appearances in her first career game, drawing three walks and being hit by a pitch. UML issued nine free passes.

NSU sophomore pitcher Bronte Rhoden (1-0) picked up the win by largely skirting trouble on the base paths.

Rhoden worked around seven hits, one walk and two NSU errors to hold the River Hawks to two runs.

Rhoden dodged early trouble but hung zeros in the first four innings. She stranded five runners (two in scoring position) in the first four innings.

The River Hawks made a little fifth-inning noise with a two-out home run from Courtney Cashman and put the next two runners on. But Rhoden steeled herself, catching a line drive back to the pitcher to end the threat and hold a 7-1 edge.

UML’s Olivia Labbe drove in a sixth-inning run, but Rhoden ended the threat with one of her four strikeouts.