HOUSTON - Houston Christian University got timely hitting to back up a solid pitching performance from a trio of hurlers to take a 5-2 victory over Northwestern State on Saturday afternoon at Husky Field. The win allowed HCU to secure the series win with a Sunday game still to be played, while still holding the top spot in the Southland Confernce standings.
Houston Christian (22-11, 14-3 SLC) got a strong start from Joshua Caravalho as the right-hander went seven innings and allowed just two runs. He scattered nine hits and fanned four in running his record to 7-1 on the campaign. Nick Ferazzi went a scoreless eighth with a strikeout and Ben Norton closed things down in the ninth with a pair of strikeouts to notch his fifth save of the season.
The Huskies took control in the first frame. Tevis Payne led off with a single, followed by a free pass to Jack Walker. Matthew Leiterman then hit single that scored both to give HCU an early 2-0 advantage.
HCU pushed that lead to three in the second inning as Kenneth Dutka doubled with two outs and Payne earned another walk. Walker then pushed Dutka across the dish with a single through the left side.
Northwestern State cut into the deficit in the fourth inning. After a single and a wild pitch put a runner in scoring position, Daniel Burroway hit a two-run homer to left field, closing the margin to one, 3-2. The Demons then put two more runners on before Caravahlo worked out of the jam to limit the damage.
HCU got those runs back in the sixth inning. Dutka reached on a bunt single and advanced into scoring position another free pass to Payne. With runners on first and second, Parker Edwards delivered a clutch two-run single to left field to push Dutka and Payne across the pay station, making it 5-2.
Kenneth Dutka went 2-5 with two runs scored,
Jack Walker went 2-3 with a run and RBI and
Matthew Leiterman went 2-4 with two RBI to lead the offense for HCU.
Samuel Stephenson was 3-4 and Reese Lipoma went 2-5 to lead the Demons
(20-16, 12-8 SLC) nine-hit effort.
The two teams will hook up for the series finale on Sunday, with first pitch at Husky Field slated for 2 pm.
