NATCHITOCHES – With two Southland Conference series remaining, the Northwestern State softball team is aware of the high stakes involved if the Lady Demons are to make their fourth straight conference tournament appearance.
 
NSU (24-22, 7-14 SLC) must jump two teams to be one of the six squads to qualify for SLC Tournament as the Lady Demons host current No. 5 seed Stephen F. Austin (21-23, 10-10 SLC) for a three-game series starting with a Friday doubleheader at 4 p.m.
 
The series concludes with Saturday's finale at 1 p.m. at Lady Demon Diamond. NSU finishes the regular season by hosting Southeastern (22-27, 5-16 SLC) in a three-game series starting May 6.
 
The Lady Demons are one game back of current No. 6 seed Sam Houston State (16-27, 8-13 SLC) and one-half game behind Houston Baptist (15-23, 7-13 SLC) in the standings.
 
NSU coach Donald Pickett said his team needs to regain the confidence of a squad that started the season 16-5 to make a final push toward postseason play.
 
"We've got to figure out some way to bring our mind and confidence to the field this weekend to give ourselves a chance to win," Pickett said. "We haven't had that this year (in SLC play) … we haven't brought proper mental approaches to what we need to do and how we need to do it, and it's affected our confidence during games.

"I hope we can get our mind right and get back into it in these last six games to give ourselves the best chance to make the tournament. The kids have to make a choice to have those approaches, be mentally tough … and to be the aggressor and try to dominate."
 
NSU was swept by Nicholls on the road and has lost its last six contests, the longest losing streak of the season and longest since NSU started the 2015 campaign 0-6.
 
But the Lady Demons had several bright spots this past weekend.
 
Natchitoches native Kayla Roquemore shined in her first career start in the series finale, going 2-for-3 (including a triple) with a run scored and two diving catches in left field.
 
"(Assistant coach Amy Hooks) told me to go warm and that I was playing," Roquemore said. "I just had to think that this was my time. I was nervous … but I had to play this game like it was my last.
 
"If I get to make a start (in Natchitoches), it will be even more nerve-racking because I come from a big family. But honestly, it's just about going back to the basics … and not being selfish. I play for my team and those girls, and that's what makes it fun – coming together as a team."
 
Pickett said the spark she provided and her approach to her opportunity could translate into playing time in the last two weekends.
 
Sophomore pitcher Micaela Bouvier (13-7) also made strides after struggling through portions of conference play. Bouvier allowed one earned run in 11 innings in two losses at Nicholls, one of which was hampered by a season-high seven errors in NSU's 10-4 loss in the finale.
 
"One of the biggest things I regained this weekend was my confidence," Bouvier said. "I've been struggling this year, but having glimpses of my old self from last year helped me out a lot.
 
"We've been working hard as a team to try to get everything back together. Having the last two series at home is big because of all the community support. As a team, we've got to stay together and stay positive."
 
Pickett added Bouvier's performance was strong enough for a pair of wins at Nicholls, and he's encouraged by her ability to keep opponents off-balance at the plate.
 
Before this past weekend, Bouvier had allowed at least three total runs in 11 of her last 16 appearances after holding opponents to two or fewer runs in seven of her first 11 outings this season.
 
SFA enters this weekend having won three of its last five conference series, ending with a 2-1 series win at Incarnate Word.
 
Coach Gay McNutt, who led NSU to two 40-win seasons and three straight SLC regular season titles in her six years (1995-2000), has posted a 206-255 record in her nine seasons in Nacogdoches, Texas.