By: Brittany Russ, Sports Information Graduate Assistant
NATCHITOCHES – After winning eight of the last nine games, the Northwestern State softball team makes their home debut on Friday as they host the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission Lady Demon Classic. The Lady Demons open tournament play at 12 o'clock as they host Louisiana-Monroe.
“We're really excited to play at home this week after being on the road for almost a month,” said head coach Donald Pickett. “There are some good teams joining us so it should be a competitive weekend from everyone.”
Alcorn State and Louisiana Tech will also be participating in the tournament.
NSU (13-2) will meet with the Warhawks (7-7) for the first time this season. In the 2012 meeting, ULM came out on top with an 8-3 victory. The Lady Demons currently lead the overall series 60-55-1.
Junior Tara McKenney leads NSU, batting .439 in 57 appearances at the plate. She has notched 25 hits for one double, three triples and 10 RBI.
From the circle, Kaylee Guidry (4-1) posts a 1.49 ERA while allowing just 10 runs on 29 hits. The junior transfer threw seven complete innings in the 5-2 defeat of Jackson State on Wednesday as she earned her fourth win of the season.
Haley McCall leads ULM with a .361 batting average, putting the ball into play 13 times in 36 at-bats. McCall has accrued three doubles, one triple and one homer.
Stephanie Routzon (5-3) displays a 5.14 ERA in 37.1 innings in the circle. Routzon has allowed 32 runs on 41 hits for the Warhawks.
ULM went 2-3 last weekend at the Arkansas Invitational, with two losses coming from Murray State.
The Lady Demons split with Murray State at the Bulldog Battle, falling to the Racers 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh. NSU came in strong in the second game, defeating Murray State 3-2.
Louisiana Tech (5-8) will face ULM in the second game of the tournament beginning at 2:30 on Friday.
Kristen Miles is currently batting .425 with 17 hits and two RBI in 40 at-bats.
Michelle Jones (3-4) has thrown 55.2 of 82 innings for the Lady Techsters, striking out 41 and allowing 39 hits.
La Tech and NSU met last weekend at the Southern Mississippi tournament in two of the five meetings these two teams will have this season. The Lady Demons defeated the Lady Techsters 6-4 and 11-3 as the Lady Demons posted a 4-0 record on the weekend.
The Lady Demons traveled to Alcorn State (1-8) last Wednesday, and towered over the Lady Braves 8-0 and 12-1 in the afternoon doubleheader.
In the 8-0 victory, Guidry and freshman Baylee Gray combined for the 16th no-hitter in program history.
NSU travels to Southern for a single game on Tuesday beginning at three o'clock before kicking off Southland Conference play next weekend with a three-game series at McNeese State.
NHDDC Lady Demon Classic Tournament Page
