NATCHITOCHES – Seniors Kelee Grimes, Samantha Roberts and Tiffany Ward will be honored for their outstanding careers in their final home and conference series this weekend as Northwestern State hosts first-place Texas State at the Lady Demon Diamond Complex.

 

Game one will begin at 6 p.m. on Friday, and game two will start at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

 

The Lady Demons (19-26, 7-11 SLC) are coming off a doubleheader split against Southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday. In the first game, they trailed 3-1 heading into the bottom of the 10th when Cheyenne DeLaGarza tied it with a two-run homer. Brianna Rodriguez followed by knocking the walk-off single down the rightfield line to complete the 4-3 comeback.

 

Texas State (31-15, 14-2 SLC) has a two-game lead on Sam Houston State for sole possession of first-place in the conference. They enter the weekend on a six-game winning streak, including sweeps over Texas-San Antonio and McNeese State.

 

The Bobcats are led by a pair of pitching aces, Anne Marie Taylor and Chandler Hall. Taylor hoists a 1.81 ERA with nine complete-game shutouts, while Chandler has a 1.87 ERA and 10 complete-game shutouts. The duo has combined for 291 strikeouts in 288.2 innings this season.

 

Before Saturday's contest, the 2012 NSU softball class will be honored with a commemorative Senior Day presentation.

 

Grimes, a right-hander from Pineville and Pineville HS, has thrown two career no-hitters and combined for another. She ranks third in NSU history in career strikeouts with 471, and leads the team in that category this season with 107. She's a two-time SLC Pitcher of the Week winner and also won LSWA Pitcher of the Week on March 8. Last season, Grimes was named to the 2011 SLC All-Academic Team, All-Louisiana Collegiate Softball Team and Capital One All-Academic District VI Team.

 

Roberts, a left fielder and southpaw slugger from Natchitoches and Ruston HS, has hit 15 career homers, including a team-high seven this season. She became the first Lady Demon in program history to hit three home runs in a single game, as she registered six-RBI in the 16-6 win over Jackson State on March 20. She posted a team-high 10-game hitting streak earlier this season and has a pair of three-hit performances. Roberts has started 179 career games with 32 doubles and 86 RBI.

 

Ward, an always reliable third baseman from Bulverde, Texas and Smithson Valley HS, hit a two-run homer in NSU's 10-1 victory over Grambling State on Feb. 12. She has committed just three errors in the field this season and boasts a .955 career fielding percentage at one of the toughest positions on the diamond. She has started 158 career games, hit five homers, 12 doubles and 43 RBI.