HAMMOND – Northwestern State softball pitcher Mikayla Brown was dominant in the circle, leading Northwestern State to its first Southland Conference regular-season championship since 2000, with a 3-0 Game 1 victory against Southeastern Louisiana on Friday afternoon.

The freshman righty, who was just four years old the last time NSU claimed the crown, tossed the complete game, allowing just four hits and two walks, while striking out one.

"I'm really proud of how we battled," seventh-year head coach Donald Pickett said. "Now, we've got to keep this momentum going into next week. Hopefully we can put it all together at the end of the year and have a great tournament."

With the win, NSU also clinched the No. 1 seed in next week's Southland Conference Tournament, which takes place May 6-8 at the Lady Demon Diamond.

"They keep making adjustments and that's what you've got to do," Pickett said. "They had a plan coming in. They threw four different pitchers at us today and we saw a lot of different looks. I am proud of those adjustments we made."

The Lady Demons (33-15, 22-2 SLC) continued their hot streak, downing the Lady Lions (20-28, 14-10 SLC) 13-3 in six innings in Game 2. The 13 runs were the most in an NSU game since the Lady Demons defeated Houston Baptist 15-4 on March 14.

In Game 1, Southeastern Louisiana starter Spencer Adkinson held the Lady Demons off the scoreboard until the sixth. In the frame, Kellye Kincannon got NSU going with a single through the right side. One batter later, Cassandra Barefield roped a single to left. After Brittney Jones, bounced into a fielder's choice, Natalie Landry singled up the middle to score a hustling Barefield.

The two-out damage continued with NSU's fourth hit of the frame, this one, a single to center from Mikayla Sorosiak to score Landry and Jones for the 3-0 advantage.
Adkinson dropped to 3-5 in the circle on the season while Brown moved to 11-2.

"They were trying to mix speeds on us and we were able to get that one big inning where we got three runs," Pickett said. "Mikayla Brown pitched another great game and kept us in the game."

In the day's finale, Northwestern State put up a five-spot in the sixth inning, highlighted by Kaytie Proctor's fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot that plated Micayla Sorosiak, pushing the lead to 13-3.

NSU jumped ahead early. After Kincannon doubled to left center, Barefield brought the sophomore in on a two-bagger of her own in the opening frame.

Two innings later, Kincannon doubled again, knocking in Sidney Salmans, who also doubled. Then, Cassandra Barefield launched a two-run home run over the center field wall to put the Lady Demons ahead 4-0.

The Lady Lions bounced back for three of their own in the bottom half of the third, helped a trio of Lady Demons errors. Designated player Amber Slather drove in a pair of the runs with a double to right center.

Continuing the theme of back-and-forth play, NSU grabbed a pair back in its half of the fourth. The speedy Salmans picked up her second triple of the season, plating Hailee Rhodes from first. One batter later, Salmans scampered home on a passed ball, upping the lead to 6-3.

In the fifth, NSU added two more runs on two hits and a Lady Lions error. Barefield singled to left and moved to second on an error from the left fielder to lead off the frame. Two batters later, Landry singled home the designated player on a liner to left. Two batters later, Landry came around to score on a Kaytie Proctor sacrifice fly to left.

NSU continued to pour it on in the sixth. Kincannon lined her third triple of the year to right center, plating Virgoe who reached on a hit by pitch. A Barefield double to left field, scoring Kincannon, accounted for the tenth run of the game. After Kayla Boening pinch ran at second, she advanced to third on a Jones ground out and used her speed to make it 11-3 on a shallow fly out to right field making way for Proctor's two-run blast.

Micaela Bouvier (13-4) earned the win, going the distance, allowing three runs, all unearned, and five hits while walking one and striking out two.

Southeastern starter Madison Vige' (0-6) drew the loss, lasting just 2 1-3, allowing three runs and five hits while striking out three.

The squads conclude their three-game set with the regular-season finale on Saturday at noon.