AUSTIN, TEXAS -- The Northwestern State softball team will open its season on a national stage Friday as the Lady Demons play five games in the Texas Classic, which will be broadcast on the Longhorn Network and its ESPN affiliates.
 
NSU begins a tough weekend of competition with games against Boise State (1:30 p.m.), who is receiving votes in the USA TODAY/NFCA Coaches preseason poll, and No. 16 Texas (4:30 p.m.).
 
On Saturday, the Lady Demons face Boise State (10 a.m.) and ACC member Boston College (6 p.m.) before finishing Sunday with Texas at 12:30 p.m.
 
Fans can access the Longhorn Network via DirecTV (channel 677), DISH (channel 407), through certain Suddenlink packages or through the WatchESPN app with a subscription to a qualifying television provider.
 
"It will be a true test and challenge against a competitive schedule this weekend, but I've been really happy with the way the girls have practiced this preseason," said NSU coach Donald Pickett, who starts his 11^th season in Natchitoches as the program's winningest coach. "I'm looking for our team to do the things we've been working on and be as consistent as we can in our effort and attitude.
 
"When you get in a game environment, it's a little faster, so we have to slow it down and be able to play our game."
 
The Lady Demons might not familiar with this weekend's opponents (played Texas just once in school history, a 3-2 loss in 2004), but facing ranked teams won't be new.
 
NSU has played 17 ranked teams since 2015, coming close to wins with an extra-innings loss to then-No. 15 Baylor in 2017 and a one-run loss to then-No. 16 Baylor in 2016. The Lady Demons battled teams like No. 9 Oklahoma in a 3-0 loss in 2017 in which NSU trailed just 1-0 in the sixth inning. NSU was tied with No. 1 Florida in the fifth inning of a 2017 contest before the Gators pulled away.
 
Junior outfielder Kaitlyn St. Clair, who parlayed a midseason starting opportunity into All-Southland Conference honors, said the Lady Demons won't be taken aback by a big-time environment.
 
"We've played some really challenging teams since I've been here, and we've played a tough fall schedule, too," said St. Clair, a Cypress, Texas, native who will be playing about two hours away from home this weekend. "We're not really as nervous knowing it's Texas, even though they are definitely a good team.
 
"It's nice to play close to home in front of my family, and we're really excited about getting the season going."
 
St. Clair is part of a six-member junior group that's expected to be the backbone of the 2019 Lady Demons after starting for much of their first two seasons.
 
Catcher Emma Hawthorne and Hayley Barbazon have the most career starts in the bunch (103 and 78, respectively), but infielders Toni Hebert and Sidney Harris have at least 45 career starts with outfielder Elise Vincent adding another 27.
 
"All of those juniors have done a lot of positive things, we just need to be more consistent with those things," Pickett said. "They are good kids that work hard, and we want them to take that next step and be that consistent player every day.
 
"Players are pushing each other in a lot of positions, and I think everybody has to bring it every day."
 
The juniors will have plenty of help from players like sophomore Cayla Jones, an NFCA All-Region and All-Southland Conference performer who put together one of the best freshman seasons in program history.
 
Jones will join a cast of newcomers in the infield in sophomore transfer Nikki Skerlong and freshmen Maggie Black and Riley Cantrell. Hebert and Harris are expected to earn time as well.
 
In the circle, sophomore E.C. Delafield will be the center of attention as she leads a staff of newcomers this weekend.
 
Delafield earned valuable experience en route to a 4-4 record as a freshman, and now she's expected to be one of NSU's top two pitchers this season.
 
"We know what to expect from big stadiums, and it is a little different," Delafield said. "I learned last year that you have to be ready for every game and go hard in every bull pen to get your body ready.
 
"I want to step up and be a leader on the pitching staff, joining Mikayla Brown. We're staying positive, trusting the process and trusting that we can do everything asked of us."
 
Other pitchers expected to see significant action are junior transfer Samantha Guile (Southern Utah) and freshmen Sydni Larriviere and Bronte Rhoden.