HAMMOND – Northwestern State coach Donald Pickett said one of the keys to a series win against Southeastern was to hang "crooked numbers" against a team that typically manufactures single runs in an inning.
 
The Lady Demons produced three multi-run innings Friday to take the series opener 9-8.
 
Freshman Hayley Barbazon slugged 3-for-3 with four RBIs, both career highs, to pace the offense.
 
Barbazon, who was slotted as the designated player, hadn't started in the batting order since March 18 and made just her 10^th start in the order this season. The Belle Chasse native, who had a significant number of family in the stands, has primarily been used as NSU's third pitcher.
 
"It felt good to get back in the lineup because I've been struggling throughout the year," said Barbazon, who also drew a walk and wasn't retired. "It really boosted my confidence to actually hit the ball today.

"I was nervous at first, but after I started hitting, I got my confidence back up. I knew since (Kaylee Isenburg) was injured, she was a big bat, so I knew I needed to help the team out by getting my bat going."
 
NSU (17-24-1, 7-9 Southland Conference) will attempt its second straight Southland Conference series win with a Saturday doubleheader against Southeastern (19-21, 8-8 SLC).
 
The Lady Demons had to fend off a fierce seventh-inning rally to secure the win.
 
Leading 9-5, NSU allowed three runs before recording an out. Southeastern sent five batters to the plate, scoring three runs, with runners on first and second base with no outs.
 
NSU committed three of its five errors in that inning, but Mikayla Brown (10-10) recorded two fly outs and a ground out to hang on for the win.
 
Head coach Donald Pickett enjoyed an offensive performance that included nine runs on 11 hits, but Pickett said the defense has to improve if NSU expects to challenge for a series win or sweep Saturday.
 
"We did a lot of good things offensively, but I was not happy with that defensive performance at all," Pickett said. "We game planned for them all week long, and we knew what we needed to do coming in here.
 
"We didn't make them do things we wanted them to do, and we let them back in the game. I thought Brown pitched a pretty good inning, but we had a lack of focus and let base runners on. I was proud of the girls to finish it in the seventh with no outs and runners on first and second though. I was really proud of Brown especially, but everybody has focus from the first out to the last out."
 
Brown allowed eight runs (four earned) on nine hits while striking out four. The Deville native has won seven of her last eight starts dating back to March 15.
 
Brown got plenty of help from the bats, including Barbazon driving in a combined three runs in two at-bats with the bases loaded.
 
With the bases loaded in the first inning, Barbazon delivered a two-out single for a 2-0 NSU lead. Jordan Rains (2-for-3, two runs scored) supplied the first RBI, scoring Sidney Salmans (singled) and chasing starting pitcher Rachel Hayes after 2/3 innings.
 
After Southeastern tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the first inning, NSU responded with four third-inning runs for a 6-2 edge.
 
Barbazon's two-RBI double keyed that inning after NSU drew three walks and scored a run on one of Southeastern's four errors. A Julie Rawls RBI ground out accounted for the other run.
 
"I just knew that I needed to get the ball in play and not pop it up, which I had been doing a lot," Barbazon said. "I was trying to move my runners so we could score.
 
"The game was pretty close, and we needed every run."
 
But the Lady Lions got two runs back on a Kinsey Nichols (3-for-3) RBI single and a Mattie Ort RBI, cutting NSU's lead to 6-4.
 
The Lady Demons appeared to put the game away with three sixth-inning runs to stretch its edge to 9-5.
 
A Kincannon two-run home run scored Hailee Rhodes (2-for-5), who bunt singled with one out. Barbazon plated her fourth run by knocking in Brittney Jones (two runs).
 
Kincannon has 52 career home runs, two shy of breaking former teammate Cassandra Barefield's program record 53.
 
Micayla Sorosiak also supplied a pair of hits as NSU's 11 base knocks is the most since the Lady Demons recorded 13 hits in a 12-1 win on March 24.
 
"We gave a couple outs away, but in five of the seven innings, we had really good approaches, moved runners and get hits when we needed them," Pickett said. "Barbazon did a great job of driving in runs, and she had a couple of two-out hits that broke the game open a little bit.
 
"Kincannon got a big home run, and then Rains had another good day. Rhodes got on, and we did things with runners on base."
 
Southeastern committed four errors, walked five batters and hit another.
 
Lacey Hill (8-7) took the loss with four runs allowed (two earned) on two hits and three walk in 1 1/3 innings.