Road games had their moments for the Northwestern State baseball and softball teams this weekend but there were more struggles than successes.

In baseball at Central Arkansas in a rare four-game series, the Demons dropped a pair of one-run games before recording a 15-inning 5-2 victory Saturday night, but the Bears took the getaway game Sunday 10-3. NSU’s Brock Davis cracked three home runs among his six hits in 16 at-bats, and drew four walks during the weekend.

The NSU softball team went 2-3 at the Jacksonville (Ala.) State tournament, beating DePaul 8-6 and Gardner-Webb 4-2.

BASEBALL:  Central Arkansas ended an unbeaten start to the season by NSU  winning two nailbiters to open the series, taking a 5-4 Friday decision and a 3-2 victory in the opener of a Saturday doubleheader. The second game Saturday was a long one that went to the visitors in Conway, Ark.

The top of the order allowed the Demons to break through in the 15th inning of a pitching-dominated affair.

Joe Siervo’s leadoff walk started a three-run rally that included RBI singles from Thomas Marsala III and Brooks Leonard. It was the lone multi-run inning of the game for either team.

The bullpens for each team stifled the opposing offenses after NSU’s Kevin Robinson (6 IP, 0 ER) and Central Arkansas’ Caide White (6 1-3 IP, 2 ER) delivered quality starts.

Northwestern right-handed relievers Wesley Marien and Lucas Harrington (1-0) combined for nine shutout innings of relief, allowing two hits and striking out 11 Bear hitters.

Harrington worked the final five innings of shutout relief, allowing one hit – a 12th-inning, one-out infield single to Zeb Allen. Allen advanced to third on a stolen base and a wild pitch before Harrington settled back in and induced consecutive ground balls to shortstop Sam Ardoin – one with the infield drawn in – to escape the threat.

Sunday, UCA started fast and the Demons did not, held hitless through the first 10 hitters as the Bears took control.

The Demons (5-3) go to Louisiana Tech Tuesday night before starting the Southland Conference season next weekend at home against Southeastern.

SOFTBALL:  Mattison Buster pitched a complete game and J.T. Smith had two hits and scored twice Friday as the Lady Demons topped Gardner-Webb 4-2.

Saturday, NSU split games, losing a rematch with Gardner-Webb 10-6 before Brynn Daniels delivered a key two-run single in a comeback 8-6 win over DePaul.

Sunday, DePaul bounced back for a 5-3 victory over Northwestern  before host Jacksonville State dominated the Demons 10-0, whose pitching was lashed for 12 extra base hits in the two losses.

After playing at home only once in the first 17 games, NSU is home next weekend for the City of Lights Classic with UAPB and Missouri State visiting the Demon Diamond.

TENNIS:  The Lady Demons concluded non-conference play Sunday and turned their focus to defending their 2025 Southland Conference championship.

NSU is 4-4 after dropping a pair of 4-0 decisions to South Alabama (Friday) and Tarleton State (Sunday) at the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex.  The SLC season starts next weekend on the road for the Lady Demons at UT-Rio Grande Valley.