Demon Baseball | 2/19/2018 4:37:00 PM

MONROE – Opening weekend provided second-year Northwestern State head baseball coach Bobby Barbier with some information on his newcomer-laden Demons squad.
 
He plans to learn much more Tuesday night when Northwestern State opens the road portion of its 2018 schedule at former Southland Conference rival UL Monroe. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Warhawk Field.
 
"We learned a lot about our team (over the weekend)," Barbier said. "We had good points and bad points in the wins and in the loss. I really think teams come together on the road. You're on the bus together for a couple of hours. You try to build some team camaraderie on the road.
 
"It's about taking them out of their comfort zone. It's going to be different. How are these 18 new guys on this roster react to it? I think it will be in a good way."
 
The Demons (2-1) ran their streak of season-opening series victories to three by taking the first two games against defending America East champion Binghamton at Brown-Stroud Field.
 
Tuesday night's matchup with the Warhawks (2-1), who won their season-opening series against Eastern Illinois by sweeping a Friday doubleheader with two walk-off wins, offers another test.
 
ULM finds itself in a similar situation to the Demons a season ago as they will play their fourth game under first-year head coach Michael Federico.
 
"ULM had a good weekend," Barbier said. "Coach Fed and I have been friends for a long time. He's a good coach who is going to do a great job."
 
Right-hander Jerry Maddox will make his first start in a Demons uniform Tuesday night. ULM will counter with right-hander Chase Beal, who will make his season debut.
 
Maddox, a junior transfer from San Jacinto Community College, made his NSU debut in Saturday's 9-1 win against Binghamton, tossing a perfect sixth inning with a pair of strikeouts.
 
"That was the plan all along," Barbier said of having Maddox work in relief before making a start. "Jerry's a veteran, not a veteran to Division I baseball. The way he attacks the game, the way he thinks the game, I'm very comfortable with putting him out there and bringing him back after throwing that inning. If he pounds the zone like he should, I think we'll have a good chance to win the game."
 
Tuesday's game is part of a home-and-home series with the Warhawks, who will return the game March 13 in Natchitoches, and it marks the sixth straight season for the Demons to play in Monroe.
 
In the previous five seasons, which have totaled six games at Warhawk Field, NSU is 5-1 in Monroe.
 
"These games are normally played a little differently because our guys have played with their guys when they were growing up," Barbier said. "They're familiar with them like we were unfamiliar with Binghamton coming and will be with Penn (this coming weekend). The familiarity breeds a certain amount of competition that I think will be helpful."
 
Tuesday's game can be heard via live streaming audio on www.NSUDemons.com.