MONROE - The Northwestern State Lady Demon softball team opens the 2013 season on Friday against Mississippi Valley State at the UL-Monroe Mardi Gras Classic.

“We've been working extremely hard to get ready for the season,” said head coach Donald Pickett. “The Mardi Gras Classic is hosting teams that will be great competition for us, and will begin to prepare us for conference play.” 

The Lady Demons open home play as they host the Natchitoches Historic Commission Lady Demon Invitational beginning March 1.

NSU is returning the entire infield and a strong pitching staff, which Pickett hopes will lead to a successful season. 

As an All-Southland Conference preseason first team pick, junior shortstop Tara McKenney should lead the defense alongside fellow classmate Cali Burke at second base. McKenney earned All-Southland Conference second team, and All-Academic second team accolades for the 2012 season, while Burke was named All-Southland honorable mention. 

The duo will play key roles at the plate as well, notching a combined 96 hits last season.  
        
Sophomore Cassandra Barefield will anchor the Lady Demon offense after leading the team with eight home runs in 2012, including two in the season finale against North Texas. 

Barefield also finished the 2012 season with the highest slugging percentage, and fourth on the team in on-base percentage, with .517 and .350 respectively. 

The pitching staff is led by a well-rounded group of seniors, including Booke Boening, Paige Cavallin and utility Kylie Roos. Roos went 8-13 from the circle last season facing 526 batters, striking out 85 in 131.2 innings. 

Boening returns to the circle after recovering from injury. She threw for 76.2 innings in 2012, striking out 61 batters. 

“With the amount of experience we have in the circle, our pitching should be strong,” said Pickett. 

The 2013 squad welcomed newcomers Kaylee Guidry and Bailee Gray, both pitchers. Guidry is a junior transfer from LSU-Eunice who played a key role in the success of LSUE as it finished the 2012 season as the NJCAA Division II national runner-up. 

Gray, a native of Mansfield, Texas, led Mansfield High School to three bi-district championships, and was named Utility Player of the District last season. 

“We're really excited about this group of returners and newcomers; they bring a lot of experience and talent to the field,” said Pickett. 

Set at the Lady Demon Diamond May 9-10, NSU will use the Southland Conference Tournament as fuel to qualify for the post-season. In 2012, the Lady Demons (19-31, 7-14 SLC) fell just short of a post-season berth, finishing eighth in the conference.