THIBODAUX – Playing its final conference road games of the season, the Northwestern State softball team will head to Nicholls State for a doubleheader on Friday.

 

Play will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Colonel Softball Complex. The series was originally scheduled for one game Friday and another Saturday, but the threat of rain on Saturday pushed the games ahead of schedule.

 

NSU (17-24, 5-9 SLC) has won four of its last five games, all by shutout. Three of those were one-hitters, including two from Kylie Roos and another from Brooke Boening.

As a staff, the Lady Demons have allowed just one earned run in the last 36 innings. Roos leads the rotation with six wins and a 3.40 ERA.

NSU is coming off a 2-0 win over UT-Arlington in its last outing on Saturday. Brianna Rodriguez hit the decisive two-run homer in the second inning, and the defense turned a stifling 6-3-2-5-3 triple play.

 

Nicholls State (10-25, 4-6 SLC) is coming off a 6-2 win over Southern on Wednesday, but was swept by Central Arkansas last weekend. The Colonels are led by junior Ashley Bertot who hits for a .407 average, and senior Ashley Ray who hits .386 with seven homers.  

 

The Colonels enter the doubleheader in seventh place in the Southland Conference standings, while the Lady Demons are one spot behind in eighth. NSU took two out of three games last season at Nicholls State.

 

The top six teams will qualify for the SLC Tournament on May 10-12 in San Antonio, Texas. NSU is currently two games out of sixth, as Central Arkansas enters the weekend at 7-7 in conference play.

 

The Lady Demons will be back at home on Tuesday for a doubleheader against Southeastern La. beginning at 4.