NATCHITOCHES — Northwestern State became the first team to beat McNeese State ace Grant Rogers, beating the Cowboys 5-2 in the opening of a three-game Southland Conference series.

The Demons (26-21, 11-8 SLC) scored solo runs in the second, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings as starting pitcher Cal Carver (6-3) went eight innings for the win.

Rogers (10-1) was roughed up for eight hits, including a pair of doubles.

Five Demons — Jeffrey Elkins, Michael Dattalo, Daunte Stuart and Jake Haze — had two hits apiece. Haze drove in a pair of runs while Elkins hit an eighth-inning home run, his team-leading 11th of the season.

Tré Obregon had two of the Cowboys’ (31-17, 11-11) four hits, including a double. Cooper Hext accounted for both Cowboys runs with a two-run homer to right-center field.