Box Score BATON ROUGE – Home runs by Brittany Virgoe and Cassandra Barefield led the Northwestern State softball team to its 18th victory of the season with a 8-0 defeat of Southern University Tuesday afternoon.
 
“This is a good way to round out the pre-conference season,” said head coach Donald Pickett.  “We're feeling pretty good as we enter Southland play this weekend."
 
The Lady Demons, who improved to 18-3, will travel to McNeese State for a three-game series Saturday. The Lady Jaguars fall to 0-21 on the season.
 
Virgoe and Barefield cranked homers over the left field wall in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively, to lead NSU with a combined four RBI.
 
The Lady Demons got on the board in the first as Southland Conference Hitter of the Week Brianna Rodriguez drove in Virgoe with a ground-out to third base.
 
NSU kept the ball rolling in the second as Tara McKenney knocked in a run on a single down the left field line and advanced to second on the throw.  McKenney then advanced to third on a wild pitch, pushing Shenequia Abby home, and scored on a single by Virgoe.
 
Virgoe was two-for-four on the day to lead the Lady Demons, followed by Barefield grabbing two RBI as she was one-for-two.
 
Senior Kylie Roos (6-0) picked up her third shutout in a row in the win. She stuck out seven of 14 batters and allowed only one hit.
 
Freshman Baylee Gray came in the fifth and allowed just one hit.
 
The Lady Demons' series with McNeese starts at 2 o'clock on Saturday, and NSU will reutrn home the following weekend to face Nicholls.