NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State softball hosts Sam Houston State in the squad's third weekend of Southland Conference action beginning with a 1 p.m. doubleheader, moved up two hours due to anticipated rain, on Friday at the Lady Demon Diamond. The Saturday finale also begins at one o'clock.

NSU (16-12, 6-0 SLC) is riding a season-long seven-game win streak, including sweeps in its first two league series against Incarnate Word and Houston Baptist.

Meanwhile, after finishing third in the league standings last season, one spot behind NSU, the Bearkats (8-17, 1-5 SLC) have struggled through the first month and a half of their season. Sam Houston was swept to open conference play at McNeese State and most recently dropped two of three against Nicholls at home.

"Sam Houston will be another tough test," seventh-year head coach Donald Pickett said. "Conference wins are tough and Sam is a good team. We've played them a lot over the last few years, tournament and regular season. They're going to come in here ready to win."

Sam Houston ranks ninth in the Southland in batting average (.272), ninth in pitching (607 earned run average) and 11^th in fielding (.943 fielding percentage). Comparatively, NSU is tied for first in batting average (.309), fifth in ERA (4.14) and is last among 12 teams in fielding percentage (.941).

With a 10-5 win its last outing, NSU reached double-figures in scoring for the eighth time this season, tying the program record set in 2005 and matched last year. The victory was also the 40^th home win since the beginning of the 2013 season. In that span, NSU has posted a 40-15 mark at the Lady Demon Diamond.

"We were able to jump out on them early and I think that was crucial," Pickett said of the latest win against the Lady Techsters. "We were were able to push some more runs across and got the home run late from (Brittney) Jones, and I think that helped us keep the momentum late in the game."

Leading the offensive explosion is the sophomore tandem of Jones and Kellye Kincannon. The duo are hitting .394 and .388 respectively and are 1-2 on the team in home runs with Kincannon notching nine and Jones eight.

Northwestern State and Sam Houston have met 110 times previously, with the Bearkats holding a 62-48 advantage. The two squads have split the last 10 matchups, although Sam Houston took both games one season ago in Natchitoches.

The Lady Demons return to action next weekend when the squad visits Beaumont, Texas, for a matchup against Lamar. The Friday doubleheader begins at 3 p.m. with the Saturday finale slated for two o'clock.