BEAUMONT, Texas – In a battle of Southland Conference unbeatens, Northwestern State softball hits the road to face Lamar in a three-game series beginning Friday with a three o'clock doubleheader and concluding Saturday at 2 p.m. at the first-year Lamar Softball Complex.

NSU (18-12, 8-0 SLC) has won nine straight games, including eight against league foes, outscoring the opposition 86-19 during that span. Meanwhile, Lamar (16-11, 9-0 SLC) rides its own wave of momentum, having won 11 of its last 13, beginning with a 9-1 run-rule victory at No. 25 Texas on Feb. 28.

"It's going to be on the road, so it will be a little bit tougher," seventh-year head coach Donald Pickett said. "They are doing really well this season. We are going to be in for a fight. We've to come down there and be aggressive and confident like we have so far this season."

This series pits two of the league's top offenses. NSU is tied with Nicholls at a .315 average, followed by Lamar's impressive .304 mark. Nationally, the Lady Demons are 17^th in home runs per game (1.43) and 19^th in slugging percentage (.554).

"They're really aggressive on the bases," Pickett said. "They do a lot of short game stuff and have some athletes that can hit the ball in the gap. They're a talented team, and they just keep coming at you. We just need to make plays and focus on what we're doing."

NSU's starter Micaela Bouvier has recorded wins in six straight appearances, boasting a team-leading 9-4 record and 3.28 ERA in 16 appearances and 11 starts. The freshman righty ranks fourth in the conference with 59 strikeouts.

Lamar right-handed starter Laura Napoli (11-6) is the Southland leader in wins and ranks eighth with a 3.10 ERA while opponents have hit just .257 against the freshman.

Offensively, Lamar's Shannon Sain enters the weekend having reached base safely in 20 straight games, tying the program record. For NSU, sophomore Kellye Kincannon rides a nine-game hit streak into Friday, while senior Cassandra Barefield has reached base safely in nine straight games.

"Offensively, that's been our strong point so far this season," Pickett said about the heart of the order. "Going into this weekend we've got to hit. Lamar is going to come at us and score some runs. We've got to continue to have quality at bats and good approaches."

Barefield blasted two home runs last weekend, including a grand slam, in a rain-shorted two-game series against Sam Houston and was named the Southland Conference Hitter of the Week for the second straight week.

The matchup will be the 24^th all-time between the Cardinals and Lady Demons. NSU holds a 19-4 edge in the series that began in 1983 and took two of three against Lamar in 2013, the squads' last meeting.

"It's a new year and new teams," Pickett said. "Right now, this time of the year, we're both undefeated and at the top of the conference standings. I think that brings a little more intensity to the game, because both teams are really confident."