ARLINGTON, Texas – Texas-Arlington starting pitcher Andy Sauter did something no other Southland Conference pitcher could do to the Northwestern State bats so far in this young league season – silence them.

Sauter (2-1) threw a complete game, three-hit shutout Friday night in leading the Mavs to a 5-0 win over the Demons in the first game of a three-game SLC series.

In the previous five conference games, the Demons had posted a .306 batting average and averaged 11 hits and nine runs per game.

The loss dropped the Demons to 10-7 overall and 5-2 in conference play.  UTA, who won for the fifth time in six games, improved to 10-10 overall and 3-4 in the league. 

The series continues on Saturday at 2 o’clock with NSU expected to start right-handed pitcher Clayton Cooper on the mound.

On Friday, the Demons (10-7, 4-2) were held hitless through the first 4-1/3 innings until Tyler Baisley broke up the no-hitter with a shot off of Sauter’s glove in the top of the fifth.

Sauter (2-1) did not allow a Demon runner to get past first base and faced just 31 batters on the night.

UTA scored two unearned runs in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead, then got single runs in the third, sixth and seventh innings to complete the scoring.

For the Demons, Jimmy Heard (3-1) suffered his first loss of the season after he threw seven innings and gave up five runs, three earned, on 12 hits with two strikeouts and a walk.

With his seven innings pitched, Heard moved into fourth on the NSU all-time career records chart with 281.2 innings pitched.  He passed Scott Stagner who threw 281.1 innings from 1977-80.

Shortstop Trent Grondin had two of the Demons’ three hits and extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

UTA, who finished with 12 hits on the night, was led at the plate by right fielder Matt Otteman’s 3 for 4 showing with a RBI and a run scored.  Otteman hit his third home run of the season with a solo shot in the seventh inning to give the Mavs a 5-0 lead.