RUSTON – After claiming seven straight Southland Conference series and moving into first place in league play, the Northwestern State softball team visits Louisiana Tech for a non-conference tilt on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

"We've got to play our best game against them," seventh-year head coach Donald Pickett said. "It does bring a little extra to it when you're just an hour and a half apart. It means a lot to the fans. Our kids know that and will be ready to play against LA Tech."

The midweek game is the first for NSU since the Lady Demons (24-14) outslugged the Lady Techsters (26-12) en route to a 10-5 victory in Natchitoches on March 18.

In that game, NSU opened the floodgates early with a six-run first inning, leading the club to its fourth straight victory against its in-state rivals. Still, Pickett acknowledges the differences in both squads then and now.

"Louisiana Tech has been playing really well," Pickett said. "They're second in Conference USA. That's a tough conference. Going up there and playing we'll face a little more of a challenge. It's going to be a good test and have us prepared going into the weekend for conference play."

NSU's offense is producing at a record rate, highlighted by a program-record nine double-digit scoring affairs. The squad has also clubbed 55 home runs this season, just seven shy of tying the school record of 62 set last season.

"Our kids have the right approaches and swing at good pitches in the count," Pickett said. "Hopefully we'll continue to be consistent with that and be able to hit some extra base hits and home runs."

Contributing a pair of those long balls last weekend was junior Natalie Landry, who finished 6-for-7 in pair of wins at McNeese State and was named Louisiana Sports Writers Association Co-Player of the Week for her efforts.

"Natalie has really had a comeback year for us," Pickett said. "This year, she has come out and worked hard. She had been struggling the last couple weekends going into McNeese, but it was good timing for her to bounce back and get those extra base hits and RBIs. When she's being consistent with what she's doing that just adds another player in the lineup that can really change a game."

The Lady Demons' .314 batting average is also on pace to break the program-best .307 clip set last season. Seven of NSU's starting nine are hitting above .300, led by Brittney Jones' .400 average, which ranks sixth in the conference.

Through games of April 12, the club ranks 16^th nationally in doubles per game (1.68), 17^th in slugging percentage (.552), 18^th in home runs per game (1.45) and 38^th in scoring (6.18 runs per game).

However, high-powered offense is nothing new to the Lady Techsters, who are hitting .300, good for fourth in Conference USA. Louisiana Tech has drilled 40 homers of its own, placing them second in C-USA.

In the circle, the Lady Techsters boast a 2.68 ERA, led by Bailey Allen's (6-1) 2.21 in 41 1-3 innings over nine appearances. Starter Bianca Duran leads LA Tech with 20 starts in the circle and maintains a 13-9 record backed by a 2.63 ERA.

NSU's Kellye Kincannon, who ranks No. 30 nationally with 1.21 RBIs per game, brings her five-game hit streak into the outing. The sophomore is hitting .428 (6-for-14) in that span and has recorded at least one hit in 16 of her last 17 games.

Following its midweek matchup, NSU returns to the Lady Demons Diamond for its final regular-season home series against Nicholls. First pitch Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m. with Saturday's doubleheader slated for one o'clock.