Demon Baseball | 4/12/2018 2:25:00 PM

NATCHITOCHES – As winners of three of its past four games, the Northwestern State baseball team has produced consistently for the better part of two weeks.
 
What has impressed coach Bobby Barbier as much as the results has been the Demons' attitude toward each game during the recent run.
 
"Every one of these we play is an important game," Barbier said. "We start out with that. If you truly take that mentality into it, you're already ahead of the game. It's hard to do that. It's hard to be consistent in your preparation, no matter who the opponent is. We talked about it before we played Lamar. A Tuesday road game has to have the same intensity and competitiveness as a Friday home game. If you compete, regardless of circumstance, that's what a tough team is and what we try to instill."
 
Keeping that mentality will be key for the Demons (17-14, 6-6) as they host Southeastern Louisiana (24-13, 11-4) at 6:30 p.m. Friday in the opener of a three-game Southland Conference series at Brown-Stroud Field.
 
The series also includes a 2 p.m. Saturday start and a 1 p.m. Sunday matchup. Saturday will serve as Northwestern State's annual Military Appreciation Day with $5 tickets available for all active and retired military personnel.
 
For the second straight weekend, Northwestern State will start a rotation of left-hander Ridge Heisler (3-2, 3.35) in the series opener, right-hander Jerry Maddox (3-2, 2.34) in the middle game and right-hander Nathan Jones (1-3, 3.69) in the series finale.
 
The trio pitched in that order against Stephen F. Austin and allowed just two earned runs in a combined 17 innings, helping the Demons win their second conference series of the season.
 
"I was very pleased with all three guys last weekend," Barbier said. "Hopefully, that's the right formula moving forward."
 
In the first weekend start of his career, Maddox spun six shutout innings of one-hit ball in the first game of a Sunday doubleheader, helping spur the Demons to a 16-2 win against SFA.
 
Maddox has faced a pair of Southland foes in his past two starts dating to a six-inning stint at Lamar on March 27. Across 12 innings, Maddox has scattered six hits, allowed two unearned runs and struck out 10.
 
He enters this weekend second in the Southland Conference in ERA (2.34) and tops in opponents' batting average (.179).
 
"After the first couple of weeks, Jerry has really settled in," Barbier said. "He began to understand what works against an opponent, especially in our league. He hasn't always had his best stuff, but he throws four pitches. He hasn't always had all four, but he's found a way to compete with two. If he only has two that day, he's still got two really good pitches. He's done a great job of learning to compete with what you have that day."
 
The Demons' staff limited Stephen F. Austin to a .208 batting average and 10 runs in 30 innings. Northwestern State will face a different type of offense this week against the Lions.
 
Southeastern Louisiana ranks 10^th in the Southland in batting average (.248), but the Lions are second in the league in runs scored (219) and in home runs (26). They lead the conference in stolen bases with 96, a total that ranks second nationally.
 
"(Head coach) Matt (Riser) does a great job with those guys," Barbier said. "They fight with two strikes. They draw their walks. If you make a mistake, they prey on it You can't go in guarding against that. You have to go in and attack the game. You understand what they're going to try to do. Our preparation doesn't change much. They run a bunch, and we'll hit on a few of those things a little more, but it's about what we do best. Hopefully, it's better than what they do best. If we change what we do to fit what they do, we're in trouble."
 
Weather has affected six of the Demons' first eight weekend series of the season, and this weekend's forecast shows it may happen again. Against Stephen F. Austin, the Demons and Lumberjacks played 27 innings in roughly a 25-hour period after NSU players, coaches and staff worked to get Brown-Stroud Field in playing conditions after heavy rains Friday and Saturday.
 
"We're our own grounds crew, and that's OK," Barbier said. "It teaches them something – how to care for something that's theirs. It's been a tough year weather-wise, but we can't control it. We'll come ready to play whether it's Friday, Saturday or Sunday."
 
Series probables
Friday: Southeastern Louisiana RHP Josh Green (5-1, 3.02) at Northwestern State LHP Ridge Heisler (3-2, 3.35)
Saturday: Southeastern Louisiana RHP Carlisle Koestler (5-1, 2.53) at Northwestern State RHP Jerry Maddox (3-2, 2.34)
Sunday: Southeastern Louisiana RHP Kade Granier (2-2, 4.18) at Northwestern State RHP Nathan Jones (1-3, 3.69)