The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

DAUNTE Stuart had the first two home run game of his collegiate career and his Northwestern State Demons baseball programme pushed their winning streak to five games.

Stuart finished his team’s four-game sweep over Nicholls’ State 4-11 with four runs, four RBI, and two home runs.

In game one, the sophomore shortstop went 1-4 in a 7-3 win. In game two, Stuart had a career outing when he went 2-2 with four RBI, drew four walks, scored four runs and hit two home runs in a 13-6 win.

Stuart blasted a one-out solo home run in the first inning off right-hander Trever Kilcrease. In the third, Stuart drew a walk and eventually scored on a Cam Sibley fly out.

He drew another walk in the fourth but was left stranded on third to end the inning. In the sixth, Stuart homered to left field for a two-run shot to give the Demons a 7-5 lead. Stuart drew his third walk of the game in the seventh and scored when Sibley hit a grand slam to go ahead 13-5.

In game three, Stuart went 1-3 with an RBI in a 3-2 win before he went hitless in the finale, a 2-1 win.

“What an incredible weekend for our baseball team to overcome adversity and to win four games,” said assistant coach Chris Bertrand, who filled in for head coach Bobby Barbier, who missed the series with a non-COVID-related illness.

“Not only did we win four games, but we won them in the manner in which we did. We learned so much about our club.”

Stuart has started all 38 games this season and leads the team in home runs (six), doubles (nine), hits (38), runs (20), RBI (23), total bases (65), slugging percentage (.500) and is second with a .946 OPS and third with a .446 OBP.

Dating back to a win over Houston Baptist on April 18, Northwestern State has won a season-high five straight games to improve to 21-17.

They return to action Friday when they travel to Central Arkansas for the opener of a four-game series.

The Demons have been efficient in one-run decisions this season.

In 13 of their first 24 Southland Conference games have been decided by a single run and the Demons have won eight.

In the Southland Conference, the Demons were picked to finish fifth in the league’s preseason poll.

They went 12-4 in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season and were 2-1 in their lone Southland Conference series.

Stuart started all 16 games at second base last year as a true freshman.

He was one of three Demons to swipe three bases and finished third on the team in batting average with .281.

He went on a nine game hit streak from February 16 - March 1 and doubled in three straight games from February 26-29.