By Jason Pugh, Northwestern State Associate Athletic Director for External Relations; featured photo by James Stanfield, NSU Athletics
BATON ROUGE – A weather delay of more than 90 minutes helped the Northwestern State baseball team settle into Alex Box Stadium on Tuesday night.
Once the delay ended, there was no stopping the Demons.
Highlighted by a three-run Braden Benton home run, Northwestern delivered a six-run third inning following a 93-minute weather delay, setting the tone for a 13-3, seven-inning run-rule victory over No. 4-ranked LSU.
The Demons (25-17) became the first non-conference team to hand the Tigers (34-8) a run-rule loss.
“I’m most proud of the guys because, regardless of what the scoreboard says from a numbers standpoint, that’s a Demon-type win,” said second-year head coach Chris Bertrand, whose team scored its first victory against a ranked team since defeating No. 7 Arkansas on April 19, 2024. “We benefited from some good fortune in the way we took advantage of some base on balls, the way we took advantage of some HBPs, and the way we took advantage of some defensive miscues they made. At the same time, we earned and deserved because of the pressure we were applying.”
Ahead of the lightning delay, which came after a Reese Lipoma infield single put runners on first and second with one out in the third inning, the Demons seized the momentum.
Freshman left-hander Cooper Williams (0-1) hit Samuel Stephenson with his second pitch of the at-bat to load the bases before Rocco Gump singled home two runs to tie the game.
Williams did not throw another pitch as LSU called on right-hander Connor Benge to face Braden Benton, who turned a 1-2 Benge fastball around for a three-run home run that gave Northwestern a lead it never relinquished.
“(The delay) gave us time to think and built anticipation,” said Benton, who added his fourth RBI of the game on a sixth-inning groundout. “We came back out and did a great job. I knew (Benge) threw pretty hard, 94 to 96, and he got ahead of me early. I was in battle mode and was just trying to hit a sac fly to score our guy.”
Armed with a lead, Northwestern’s bullpen put a stranglehold on the LSU offense, starting with sophomore right-hander Bryce Leonard (3-2), who tossed two scoreless innings to pick up the victory.
Leonard, who prepped 40 miles from Alex Box Stadium at Ascension Catholic High School in Donaldsonville, made two pivotal pitches in his outing. The first induced an inning-ending double play in the third while the second came with the bases loaded in the fourth when he got Daniel Dickinson to ground out to third to end the inning.
“This is special,” Leonard said. “I had a lot of people here watching me. After the weather delay, they were all talking about how they were ready to go, because they knew how late it was. I told them, ‘I’m coming in. I’m going to do it for y’all.’ That’s what I did. In my mind, I had to do it for them and for the team. An environment like this makes it pretty easy.”
Leonard’s two scoreless innings led into three strong innings from the trio of Austin Anderson, Adam Alexis and Dylan Marionneaux, who scattered three hits and struck out three to allow the Demons to extend the lead and end the game early with twin three-run innings in the sixth and the seventh.
All three of LSU’s runs came on solo home runs – leading off the first and second innings and with one out in the fifth. In each inning, the Demon pitching staff held firm and did not allow further damage.
“I’m so proud of the work our pitching staff did today, especially the guys coming out of the bullpen,” Bertrand said. “I’m so proud of how the bullpen – and the whole team – responded to the weather delay. The three solo homers, there’s a responsive nature that comes right after that. Kevin (Robinson) gave up one HBP, then he responded. Bryce had one walk and responded by getting the double-play ball. It was an evening full of strikes, and it was an evening full of responses. It was an evening full of toughness after the weather delay, and it was exactly what the Demons needed to get the job done.”
Leonard was not the only local product who enjoyed a big day in his backyard. Senior center fielder Reese Lipoma had three of the Demons’ nine hits and combined with No. 2 hitter Samuel Stephenson to score seven of the Demons’ 13 runs.
“Finding ways to get it done, finding ways to grind it out,” Bertrand said. “That’s a Demon type of win. We exhibit all of those values and characteristics we say we want to be about. Responding after the weather delay – once again just not enough praise to go around, not just because of a Demon win but because of who our guys are and how they attack every day.”
Wednesday’s game against Mississippi Valley State has been scheduled, so the Demons return to action Friday when they open a three-game Southland Conference series at Stephen F. Austin. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. in Nacogdoches, Texas.
Northwestern State 13, No. 4 LSU 3, 7 innings
W – Bryce Leonard (3-2). L – Cooper Williams (0-1). 2B – NSU, Samuel Stephenson. LSU, Ashton Larson. HR – NSU, Braden Benton (7). LSU, Derek Curiel (4), Josh Pearson (6), Jake Brown (3). Highlights: NSU, Reese Lipoma 3-5; Rocco Gump 2-3, 3 RBIs. LSU, Curiel 2-3, HR, RBI.
Records: Northwestern State 25-17; LSU 34-8.