NATCHITOCHES – There will be a sampling of hits from the 1990s pumping from the speakers at Brown-Stroud Field as the Northwestern State baseball team hosts Central Arkansas in the opener of a three-game Southland Conference series.
 
While the 90s Night promotion is a throwback, the Demons hope to keep their offense rolling into the 6:30 p.m. Friday night matchup with the Bears. The series will continue with a 2 p.m. Saturday games before concluding with a 1 p.m. first pitch Sunday.
 
Northwestern State (7-16, 2-4) has scored 20 runs in its past two games, including its first double-figure output in an 11-9 win against Lamar on Tuesday. The Demons rallied from a four-run, fourth-inning deficit against the Cardinals to grab their first midweek win of the season.
 
"We fought through some mistakes of our own early," first-year head coach Bobby Barbier said. "We talk about making plays to win games, and we got a sacrifice bunt down and a squeeze bunt down. We did some other things to help us win. Hopefully we can get some momentum going."
 
The Demons will try to win their first Southland Conference series of the season after going 1-2 in series at home against Nicholls and at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
 
Northwestern State has built some offensive momentum in splitting its past two games, collecting consecutive double-figure hit games for the first time this season. The 11 hits against Lamar tied the Demons' season high and include Spencer Goodwin's first three-hit game of the season and Hunter Uzzle's first career multi-hit game.
 
"A lot of guys in the bottom of the order – and with Spencer leading off – have a lot of the same characteristics," said Uzzle, who has six RBIs in the past two games. "We saw a lot of pitches, and that really helps the middle of the order."
 
The Demons will have to be wary of at least one Central Arkansas (13-14, 3-6) hitter in the middle of the Bears' order.
 
Hunter Strong carries a .396 batting average into this weekend's series. Strong ranks third in the Southland Conference in batting average and his 44 hits lead the league.
 
After facing reigning SLC Hitter of the Week Chad Fleischman of Lamar on Tuesday, the Demons will face the current league Pitcher of the Week on Sunday when right-hander Mark Moyer is expected to start for Central Arkansas.
 
Those two helped the Bears earn their first SLC series win of the season a weekend ago, taking two of three games from New Orleans in Conway.
 
"They got them twice," Barbier said. "They're going to be like every other team in our league. They'll come in here ready to go."
  
Friday's opener will match up a pair of right-handers in Northwestern State's Nathan Jones (2-3, 5.45) and Central Arkansas' Tyler Gray (2-3, 4.88).

All three games will be broadcast on 100.7 FM KZBL in Natchitoches with Patrick Netherton on the call. Free streaming audio is available at wwww.NSUDemons.com. 
 
Series Probables
Friday: Central Arkansas RHP Tyler Gray (2-3, 4.88) at Northwestern State RHP Nathan Jones (2-3, 5.45)
Saturday: Central Arkansas RHP Cody Davenport (1-0, 2.79) at Northwestern State RHP John Carter Sanner (1-2, 6.48)
Sunday: Central Arkansas RHP Mark Moyer (2-1, 2.73) at Northwestern State RHP Evan Tidwell (1-2, 8.33)