LAKE CHARLES –For the second straight weekend, the Northwestern State baseball team has a chance claim a piece of first place in the Southland Conference when it takes on McNeese State, who currently sits atop the standings, in a three-game set that starts at 6 o'clock on Friday at Cowboy Diamond.
 
The Demons (19-13, 8-4 SLC) are one game behind the Cowboys (19-12, 9-3) in the league, and could claim a share of the lead. A week ago, NSU played Nicholls for a chance at first place with two wins, but McNeese State swept Houston Baptist to keep Northwestern State in second.
 
"They are a really good club, and had a very good team coming back.  Justin (Hill, McNeese head coach) and Cory (Barton, assistant coach) have added energy and have done a great job," said Demon head coach Lane Burroughs.   
 
McNeese State was picked 10^th in the coaches' SLC preseason poll, and Northwestern State was picked at the same spot in the sports information directors' poll.
 
"(McNeese) had some pieces in place, but I can't say enough about the job that Justin Hill and Cory Barton have done," said Burroughs.
 
The two programs squared off earlier this season, and the Cowboys took both games they played.  Since that time NSU has won 12 of its 17 games.
 
Adam Oller (3-0, 2.44 earned run average) will start the Friday night game for the Demons.  He has made three consecutive series-opening starts and is 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA in 23 innings pitched.  On the season, he had 26 strikeouts and seven walks in 44.1 inning of work.
 
Josh Oller (2-0, 2.78) will get the nod on Saturday and Austin Tanner (0-1, 2.92) will take the hill on Sunday for the Demons.
 
Kaleb Fontenot (3-0, 1.89) will start Friday night, and Michael Clemens (4-1, 4.63) will start on Saturday.  Both guys have already faced Northwestern State.   Clemens was the starter in the first game and worked 6.2 innings with five runs allowed.  Fontenot was a reliever in the second game and only had one inning.
 
Sunday's starter will be Bryce Kingsley (3-2, 6.09).
 
"It just doesn't stop.  If we want to win the league and get to where we want to go, those are the teams you have to beat," said Burroughs.  "We have everything right in front of us. It'll be a challenge."
 
Cort Brinson leads the Demons in hitting with a .324 batting average, and is followed by Caleb Dugas (.309) and Bret Underwood (.303).  Dugas leads the club with 25 runs scored.
 
Chase Daughdrill leads the team with 26 runs driven in.
 
Jackson Gooch (.344), Matt Williams (.343) and Andrew Guillotte (.341) lead the Cowboys in batting average.  Gooch has the team high in RBI with 28 and is tied with Guillotte with 35 runs scored.
 
All three games will be broadcast on 100.7 KZBL-FM in Natchitoches and will be streamed for free at NSUDemons.com