NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State softball team hosts Southland Conference foe Sam Houston State in the regular season series finale beginning on Saturday at one o'clock at the Lady Demon Diamond.
 
All three games will be broadcasted on the Demon Sports Network, flagshipped by 100.7 KZBL FM in Natchitoches.
 
The Lady Demons (35-11 overall, 16-6 Southland) currently hold possession of second place in league standings, while the Bearkats (31-20 overall, 16-8 SLC) sit just one game behind in third place.
 
NSU will secure second place in the Southland Conference tournament with just one win over Sam Houston.
 
Last weekend, the Lady Demons split a pair of games with Southeastern Louisiana, dropping game one 3-2 and later fought back for the 4-1 victory in the second game of the twinbill. The Bearkats picked up their fifth series win in a row, sixth of the season, with two wins over SLC league leader McNeese State.
 
Two-time Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week Kylie Roos (13-3) leads the NSU pitching staff with 121 strikeouts in 120.0 innings. The Celina, Texas, product boasts a 1.23 ERA as she leads the Southland and ranks 12^th nationally.
 
Shelby Lancaster (11-7) sports a 2.96 ERA, allowing 178 hits and 78 runs, 60 of them earned, in 142 innings in the circle for SHSU.
 
For the Lady Demons, Brianna Rodriguez leads from the plate, averaging .384, followed by Tara McKenney with a .375 average.
 
Rodriguez leads in doubles (16) and RBI (41). Her 16 doubles tie for first in the league with Central Arkansas' Melissa Bryant, while her 41 RBIs are also tied with Bryant for third. Rodriguez also ranks 16^th nationally in doubles per game (.35).
 
SHSU's Hillary Adams leads the SLC and the Bearkats with 47 RBI. Adams has produced 51 hits this season, including 10 homers and four doubles.
 
McKenney leads the Lady Demons with 60 hits and six triples. Her triples stance ranks second in the SLC, eighth nationally.
 
Tori Benavidez leads Sam Houston with 68 hits, second in the Southland, averaging .412 from the plate.
 
Seniors Brooke Boening, Paige Cavallin, Jordan Palmer and Roos will be honored after the conclusion of Sunday's series finale for their hard work and dedication to the Lady Demon softball program throughout their college careers.
 
In conjunction with the Southland Conference, Northwestern State will host the Southland Conference softball tournament May 9-11, also at the Lady Demon Diamond. The tournament will be sponsored in part by the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission. Shops, restaurants and other attractions are waiting for visitors in the Natchitoches historic district.
 
All tournament games will be streamed through the Southland Conference Digital Network, and the championship game will be broadcasted on ESPN3.
 
All NSU games throughout the tournament will be broadcasted on the Demon Sports Network, flagshipped by 100.7 KZBL FM in Natchitoches.