LAKE CHARLES – When Lane Burroughs looks at McNeese State, he doesn't see blue and gold.
 
He doesn't see much of a different team at all. In fact, as Northwestern State prepares to open a three-game Southland Conference baseball series against McNeese at 6 p.m. Friday, the Demons coach sees a lot of similarities.
 
"It seems like every year we play McNeese, it's two very similar ball clubs," the fourth-year NSU coach said. "I know they're going to compete. They're going to battle. They do it the right way down there. It's fun to compete against guys who run their programs the right way."
 
The Demons (14-11, 5-4) enter the weekend a game behind the Cowboys (13-9, 6-3) in the conference standings, but NSU brings with it a three-game winning streak.
 
Northwestern State won the final game of its previous weekend series against Stephen F. Austin and then swept state rival ULM in a midweek series, including a 6-2, rain-shortened victory Wednesday night.
 
Daniel Garner's two-run home run highlighted a three-run fifth inning that gave NSU the lead for good. The Demons used a pair of quality at-bats prior to lightning and rain hitting the Monroe area in the top of the sixth inning to provide the final margin and keep the Demons' offense moving forward.
 
"We got production from the bottom of our order again," Burroughs said. "Spencer (Goodwin) goes 3-for-3 and had a big RBI single right before the rain came. He battled and had a quality at-bat. Cade Jones had a huge, pinch-hit RBI single. Those were enormous at-bats."
 
After being held to less than three runs four times in a five-game stretch from March 18-25, the Demons responded with a season-best 11 runs Tuesday and six runs in 5 2-3 innings Wednesday.
 
The increased run production has coincided with Burroughs shaking up the lineup, flipping Garner and Cort Brinson, who batted third and fifth, respectively, in the four previous games.
 
NSU will need to continue that production Friday night against McNeese right-hander Kaleb Fontenot (3-2). Fontenot has tossed consecutive complete-game shutouts against Incarnate Word and Abilene Christian and has been named Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week in consecutive weeks.
 
Northwestern State right-hander Adam Oller (3-0) will take the ball for the Demons in the series opener as he has for the better part of his three seasons in Natchitoches.
 
"It's going to be another great pitching matchup with Fontenot and Oller," Burroughs said. "It was a great matchup here at the B-Stro last year. They've got veteran position players who know how to play the game and navigate their way through the league."
 
The series also includes a pair of day games at 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. All three games will be broadcast on 100.7 FM KZBL in Natchitoches and streamed live on NSUDemons.com.
 Friday – Northwestern State RHP Adam Oller (3-0, 1.70) at McNeese State RHP Kaleb Fontenot (3-2, 1.73)
Saturday – Northwestern State LHP Chase Hymel (1-3, 3.77) at McNeese State LHP Bryce Kingsley (4-0, 2.12)
Sunday – Northwestern State RHP Evan Tidwell (3-2, 1.71) at McNeese State TBA