By Jason Pugh, Northwestern State Associate Athletic Director for External Relations; featured photo by Chris Reich, NSU Photographic Services
MONROE – Faced with a moment of déjà vu, the Northwestern State baseball team went back to basics and came away with a cathartic victory.
The Demons overcame another ULM rally and used Reese Lipoma’s sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to grab a 9-8 win Tuesday night at Lou St. Amant Field, snapping a four-game losing streak to the Warhawks.
“I told the guys that was a very Demon type of win,” said second-year head coach Chris Bertrand, who captured his 50th win as the Demon skipper. “I say that in a great way – the way we grinded through, the way that we found a way, the way we executed in the game’s most critical moments, the way we overcame adversity multiple times. We had some guys step up on the mound, at the plate and defensively.”
Northwestern (28-18) saw a five-run, seventh-inning lead evaporate in two innings as ULM (21-24) scored four times in the seventh and used a sacrifice fly in the eighth to tie the game.
That rally erased a strong starting pitching from sophomore right-hander Kevin Robinson, who worked a career-long six innings and allowed one earned run.
In that time, the Demons built an 8-3 lead thanks in part to a career-high, three-RBI performance from right fielder Brooks Leonard, who started just his fourth game of the season and responded with two hits and a sliding catch that helped Robinson get through the sixth inning unscathed.
“I’m so proud of (Leonard) in the way he just keeps working,” Bertrand said. “He keeps grinding through. He’s a guy who puts in the necessary work to where he deserves those moments. He’s a guy who I think deserves good fortune from the game, because he continues to work and because he continues to put in that Demon-type of effort.”
Even after the Warhawks tied the game against the Demon bullpen, the Northwestern offense had a perfect ninth-inning response.
Pinch hitter Bryce Johnson lined a leadoff double to left-center off left-hander Hollis Huff (0-1) to give the Demons a season-high 18 hits and a leadoff runner in scoring position. After Hudson Brignac (2-for-2, 2 RBIs) laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt, Reese Lipoma drove in his third run of the game with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Lipoma finished 4-for-5 – his third four-hit game of the season – and tied his career high with three RBIs. His go-ahead plate appearance helped stave off memories of a 6-5, 10-inning Demon loss at Lou St. Amant Field on April 8 in which ULM scored four times after the seventh inning to record a walk-off win.
“I could feel it in center field, and I was getting a little nervous,” Lipoma said. “I know our guys in the back end have it. We were able to put some hits together. We had been swinging it well all day, so it just took a little more. Bryce came in a big spot and had a great swing.
“Small ball suits us. We can win in any fashion. Huddy came up and moved him over. I had seen the ball well all day, and all I had to do was put the ball in play.”
Armed with a one-run lead, freshman left-hander Jacob LeBlanc retired the middle of the ULM order – Henry Garcia Jr., Michelle Artzberger and Barham White – in order to collect his first career save.
That trio entered the ninth inning a combined 4-for-11 with six RBIs before LeBlanc retired them on just seven pitches, making a winner of senior right-hander Adam Alexis (2-0).
“There wasn’t much going through my head, except not to overthink anything,” LeBlanc said. “I just was doing what we practice to do every day – trust the process, try to fill up the zone and see what happens. When you start to overdo things, stuff gets out of hand. I tried to keep my composure and let everything work out.”
The Demons return to action Friday when they step out of Southland Conference play and travel to the West Coast to face Pepperdine in the opener of a three-game series. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. Central Daylight Time at Eddy D. Field Stadium in Malibu, California.
Northwestern State 9, ULM 8
NSU 110 141 001 – 9 18 3
ULM 210 000 410 – 8 10 0
W – Adam Alexis (2-0). L – Hollis Huff (0-1). S – Jacob LeBlanc (1). 2B – NSU, Braden Benton, Clay Jung, Bryce Johnson. ULM, Barham White 2, Michelle Artzberger, Zach White. Highlights: NSU, Reese Lipoma 4-5, 3 RBIs; Benton 2-4, 2B, RBI; Jung 2-5, 2B; Balin Valentine 3-5; Brooks Leonard 2-4, 3 RBIs; Hudson Brignac 2-2, 2 RBIs. ULM, Isaiah Walker 3-5, RBI; Artzberger 2-5, 2B, 3 RBIs; B. White 2-5, 2 RBIs; Z. White 2-4, 2B.
Records: Northwestern State 28-18; ULM 21-24.