Demon Baseball | 3/8/2018 11:49:00 AM

THIBODAUX – Carrying a three-game losing streak into a conference opener doesn't seem like an optimal position for the Northwestern State baseball team.
 
Second-year head coach Bobby Barbier does not see it that way.
 
Barbier's Demons wrap up a nine-game road trip with their first Southland Conference series of the season, facing Nicholls at Ray Didier Field. The opening game of the series is set for 6 p.m. Friday before a 6 p.m. Saturday matchup and Sunday's 1 p.m. series finale.
 
"I know we've lost three games in a row, but I feel like we've played really well," Barbier said. "You can do that in baseball. You can play well and lose three games in a row, especially when you're playing good teams on the road. Now we get to go back to work."
 
The Demons (7-6) dropped a pair of games to No. 9 Texas A&M on Tuesday and Wednesday, falling in 11 innings in the series finale, a game in which the Demons held a 5-0 lead in the fourth inning.
 
Nicholls (3-10) put together its first back-to-back wins of the season on Tuesday and Wednesday, sweeping Sacred Heart in a two-game midweek series, scoring 31 runs in the process.
 
"They are a good team," Barbier said. "It hasn't gone their way early, but you can see how close winning and losing are when you watch our games. We've won the close ones (3-1 in one-run games.) There are reasons it happens. Something you do well that seems insignificant in the third inning, when you go 13 innings, it becomes significant. The difference in winning and losing is very small."
 
Northwestern State will stick with the same weekend rotation it has used in the first three weeks of the season.

Right-hander Nathan Jones (1-0, 2.89) will open the series and will be followed by left-hander Ridge Heisler (2-0, 1.40) on Saturday and right-hander Robert Burke (0-2, 6.57) on Sunday.
 
Nicholls will counter with left-hander Alex Ernestine (0-2, 12.60) in Friday's series opener and right-hander Cayden Hatcher (0-0, 3.14) on Saturday. The Colonels have not named a starter for Sunday's series finale.
 
While the Colonels had lost 10 of their first 11 games, the series marks a new starting point for both teams as the first of 30 Southland games arrives.
 
"They've got guys who can run and, if you don't handle the ball, they'll put pressure on you," Barbier said. "I don't put a lot of stock in their record, I promise you that. (Head coach) Seth (Thibodeaux) is a good friend of mine, and he always has his team ready to play. It's going to be a tough series for us."

Series probable pitchers
Friday: Northwestern State RHP Nathan Jones (1-0, 2.89) at Nicholls LHP Alex Ernestine (0-2, 12.60)
Saturday: Northwestern State LHP Ridge Heisler (2-0, 1.40) at Nicholls RHP Cayden Hatcher (0-0, 3.14)
Sunday: Northwestern State RHP Robert Burke (0-2, 6.57) at Nicholls TBA