CYPRESS, La. (Interstat) — Stephen F. Austin snapped a two-game losing streak in the series and improved to 22-21 overall with an 11-8 victory over Northwestern State on Sunday afternoon at H. Alvin Brown–C. C. Stroud Field.

The Lumberjacks outhit the Demons 16-10 and scored the final three runs in the top of the eighth inning to break a tie and secure the win. The victory gave Stephen F. Austin a series split after Northwestern State had won the first two games of the three-game set — 2-1 on Saturday and 11-8 on Friday.

Northwestern State dropped to 25-19 overall.

The game featured a back-and-forth battle that began with the Demons striking first in the bottom of the first inning. After Stephen F. Austin went down in order in the top half, Northwestern State loaded the bases on a walk, an error and another walk. Joe Siervo delivered an RBI single to left center, and Cade McAloose followed with a sacrifice fly to left field to make it 2-0.

The Demons added a run in the second when a throwing error by catcher Jhett Creel allowed a runner to reach third, and Brooks Leonard grounded out to drive in an unearned run, making it 3-0.

Northwestern State pushed its lead to 4-0 in the third on another sacrifice fly from McAloose, but Stephen F. Austin finally got on the board in the top of the fifth. The Lumberjacks sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs on five hits. Cermodrick Bland drove in the first run with a single, and two batters later Mark Henning singled home another run. After a pitching change by Northwestern State, the Lumberjacks added two more runs on singles by Dalton Cantua and Dan DeJesus to take a 5-4 lead.

The Demons answered in the bottom of the fifth. Siervo singled and stole second, then scored on a single by Kade Johnson to tie the game at 5. Later in the inning, a throwing error by third baseman Cole Swift allowed Johnson to advance, and a walk loaded the bases. But relief pitcher Luke Noah escaped further damage when the inning ended on a groundout.

Northwestern State regained the lead in the sixth when Thomas Marsala homered to lead off the inning, making it 7-6. The Demons added another run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Dustin White, pushing the lead to 8-6.

Stephen F. Austin’s decisive rally came in the top of the eighth. With one out and a runner on first, Creel crushed a two-run home run to right field, scoring Cole Schneider to tie the game at 8. After a walk to Swift, Henning singled to put runners at the corners. A pinch hitter, Dylan Aslaksen, singled to drive in Swift and give the Lumberjacks a 9-8 lead. After another pitching change, DeJesus singled home Henning, and a base hit by Jayden Black scored Aslaksen to complete the three-run outburst that made it 11-8.

Stephen F. Austin’s bullpen shut down the Demons over the final two innings. Reid Bowyer worked a scoreless eighth, striking out two and allowing no hits. In the ninth, the Lumberjacks turned a double play to erase a leadoff single, and a strikeout ended the game.

Henning led the Lumberjacks at the plate, going 4 for 5 with two RBIs. Creel finished 1 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs. Bland collected two hits, scored twice and stole three bases. For Northwestern State, Siervo went 3 for 5 with an RBI, and Leonard drove in two runs despite going 1 for 3.

On the mound, Bowyer earned the win with two innings of scoreless relief. Caleb Muffoletto allowed one hit in 1⅔ scoreless innings for Northwestern State, and Jacob LeBlanc struck out two in 1⅔ hitless innings. Dylan Mulcahy started for Stephen F. Austin and allowed two earned runs on three hits over three innings.

The game simulation by Interstat had projected a final score of Stephen F. Austin 4, Northwestern State 3. The Interstat ELO system gave Northwestern State a 74.90 percent probability to win.