NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State softball team makes its 2014 home debut Friday night against last season's Southwest Athletic Conference Tournament champion, Mississippi Valley State, beginning at five o'clock at the Lady Demon Softball Complex.
 
Due to the celebration of St. Valentine's Day, the game has been dubbed 'Sweetheart Night' and will offer special ticket prices. Fans can purchase two general admission tickets for $10, or two chairback seats for $20, which includes food and beverages provided by The Landing. Schedule posters will also be given out, and an autograph session with players will follow immediately after the game.
 
Following a tough weekend at the Troy Subway Invitational, the Lady Demons (1-4) will face the Devilettes (1-4) for the fourth time in program history. The last meeting was in 2013 at the Louisiana-Monroe Mardi Gras Classic as NSU came away with a 6-0 victory.
 
NSU picked up just one win over the Trojans while falling to North Florida twice, No. 6 Alabama and Middle Tennessee State.
 
Cassandra Barefield will anchor the Lady Demon offense after noting a .462 average over the weekend, including two home runs and five RBI. Senior Tara McKenney follows behind with a .250 average and four hits on the season.
 
Freshman Shelby Sells (1-0) registered the only win from the circle as she threw a complete game against Troy, allowing three hits and striking out 10.
 
The Devilettes picked up just one win at the Mississippi State tournament last weekend as they defeated Northern Kentucky 5-2.
 
MVSU was tabbed to win the SWAC East Division for the third year in a row after capturing its eighth league tournament title in 10 years for a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Conference preseason selections included Yasmin Battle and Cassandra Rivera.
 
Battle enters Friday's contest with a .385 average and five hits, while Rivera went 0-4 on the weekend from the circle, striking out 10 and allowing 33 hits in 20 complete innings. Tenna Patterson (1-0) notes the only win for the Devilettes, throwing six complete innings so far this season, striking out three and allowing eight hits.
 
For Mississippi Valley, Yasmin Battle enters Friday's contest with a .385 average and five hits, followed by Jahcenda Garrett hitting .333 off four hits.
 
Pitcher Tenna Patterson (1-0) notes the only win for the Devilettes, throwing six complete innings so far this season, striking out three and allowing eight hits.
 
The Lady Demons hit the road again next week as they head to Arkansas for a night game on Feb. 19 with the Razorbacks beginning at 5:00 and later heading to the Frost Classic in Chattanooga, Tenn., hosted by Tennessee-Chattanooga, on Feb. 21. NSU returns to Natchitoches on Feb. 26 as it hosts a pair of games with Southern in a beginning at four o'clock.