May 20, 2005
Box Score
NATCHITOCHES, La. - Blake Jones drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth inning to score the winning run and pitched four innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory on the mound as Northwestern State defeated Texas-Arlington 7-4 Friday evening at Brown-Stroud Field.
The inning started harmless as Hunter Thoms hit a one-out single and advanced to second on a groundout. With two outs, Rusty Jones was intentionally walked and Michael Palermo walked to load the bases. After Blake Jones plated a run with the base on balls, Bobby Barbier followed with an RBI base on balls and Michael Flowers was hit by a pitch to drive in the third run.
The Demons (39-16, 21-5 SLC) got on the board in the first inning as Palermo doubled to left center before scoring on Blake Jones' single to left center. Brandon Morgan drove in the second run of the inning with a single up the middle.
After going hitless for the first four innings, the Mavs found the offense in the fifth as they plated four runs on four hits. Boomer Welles started the inning with a single through the left side and Brock Wilson beat out a bunt. After David McLeod advanced both runners with a groundout, Aaron Batlle drove in two runs with a double just inside the bag at first. Brett Lewis reached on an error before Batlle was thrown out at the plate on Nathan Warrick's bunt. Josh McSpadden drove in two runs with a double over the left fielder's head.
NWLa. quickly responded in the home half of the inning as Blake Jones singled through the left side and scored on Flowers' home run to left center.
The Mavs (25-29, 14-12 SLC) were not without chances as they put runners on second and third with one out in the seventh and a runner on third with one out in the eighth, but were not able to push a run across.
Blake Jones (6-2) earned the victory as he threw four shutout innings, allowing six hits and striking out seven. Dillon Farish (2-3) took the loss as he allowed three runs on one hit and four walks in two innings of work.
Welles led the offense with three hits, while Warrick, McSpadden and Batlle each collected two hits.
The Mavs and Demons close out the series tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. at Brown-Stroud Field.
