NATCHITOCHES – As a starting pitcher at Doyle High School and Southwest Mississippi Community College, Tyler Pigott conditioned himself to do what starting pitchers do – be economical with their pitches and navigate an opposing lineup multiple times.
 
When Pigott arrived on Northwestern State's campus in the fall of 2017, it didn't take long for coach Bobby Barbier to know what role he had in mind for Pigott.
 
 
"He came to us as a starter, but we knew pretty quick he would be a bullpen guy for us," Barbier said. "He's left-handed, can come in and get lefties out. When he's good, he's really attacking, which you saw against LSU. He's throwing with intent, which is our thing with him. Everything has to have intent. He's been great for us for two years. We can rely on him."
 
A season ago, Pigott established himself as a key piece of the Demons' bullpen, and he has done so again in his senior season for Northwestern State (10-8, 3-3), which hosts Lamar (8-12, 1-5) at 6:30 p.m. Friday in the opener of a three-game Southland Conference series.
 
The final two games of the series are set for 2 p.m. Saturday at 1 p.m. Sunday at Brown-Stroud Field. Streaming audio and video of all three games will be available through www.NSUDemons.com and the new Northwestern State Athletics mobile app, which can be downloaded free from either the Apple Store or Google Play.
 
Pigott enters the third series of conference play tied for the team lead in appearances with eight and is one of five Demons pitchers who have notched two wins. This weekend brings a familiar opponent against whom Pigott enjoyed some of his best outings a season ago.
 
In a pair of mid-week games against Lamar, Pigott sparkled, earning his first career win with 2 2-3 innings of one-run relief in NSU's 15-3 win on April 10. Pigott struck out a career-high five batters that night at Vincent-Beck Stadium before setting another career high a week later.
 
Despite the Demons suffering a 3-2 loss to the Cardinals at home on April 17, Pigott was masterful, tossing 4 2-3 innings of shutout relief, allowing the Demon to rally from an early 2-0 deficit.
 
All told, Pigott worked 7 1-3 innings, striking out seven while allowing one run against the Cardinals in those two appearances.
 
"I worked a lot of off-speed to them," Pigott said. "My change-up was really good those two outings. I feel like I can come out and do what I need to do."
 
After a tough first outing in 2019, Pigott has regained his form and maintained the trust Barbier placed in him. In his eight appearances, Pigott has inherited a team-high 11 runners. He has stranded nine of those, including the tying run in Northwestern State's 3-1 win against LSU on March 12. Pigott recorded the final four outs of that game to collect his first career save.
 
While he enjoyed success against Lamar a season ago, Pigott pinpointed a March 2018 outing as the point where he both truly embraced and felt comfortable in his role as a reliever.
 
"It took me a couple of outings (to get comfortable)," he said. "I think Texas A&M was the outing where I came out and did well and got comfortable being a reliever."
 
It was in a 6-1 loss to the nationally ranked Aggies where Pigott enjoyed his first taste of success, working 2 1-3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts and no walks.
 
"He can strike you out," Barbier said. "He has the ablity to have three quality pitches with his breaking ball and his change-up. He has to have that mentality to come in and attack. I think it started (against Lamar) last year, and he's had it most of this year."
 
That much was evident in Tuesday night's loss at UL Lafayette.
 
Pigott inherited a 1-0 count and a runner on third with the Demons trailing by two. After leading the bases on a pair of walks, Pigott escaped the jam with an inning-ending strikeout.
 
Although Pigott had accomplished his job of not allowing the inherited runner to score, he was not happy with having walked a pair of hitters in the interim.
 
"I don't like walking anybody," he said. "No pitcher does. Last year, I had (eight) walks in (29 2-3) innings. This year, I'm up to five. I have to do better."
 
Pigott's ability to throw multiple pitches for strikes and escape jams allowed him to pick up a pair of wins and a save in the span of three appearances between March 5-12.
 
It also has made him the embodiment of what Barbier expects from his pitching staff as a whole.
 
"It's what we have to be," said Barbier, who also serves as the Demons pitching coach. "We hae to be a team and a staff that competes in the strike zone. We're not going to have guys who come in and strike out the side too often. We need those guys who compete in the strike zone. He's done that, and he takes pride in it."