NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State softball is ending the Mardi Gras season with a bang Tuesday as it celebrates the Louisiana tradition by hosting No. 10 LSU at 3:30 p.m. in a game televised by Cox Sports Television.

Chair back and general admission tickets are sold out, but Outfield Club tickets are still available for $20 for fans 21 and over. The Outfield Club ticket provides seating behind the left field fence and all-you-can-eat food and drink. Fat Tuesday daiquiris are being provided by sponsor Murphy's Catering for Outfield Club members only.
 
Fans will want to arrive early to Lady Demon Diamond as the first 100 patrons receive a "Fork LSU" T-shirt.
 
The game will be broadcast on Cox Sports Television, which is channel 61 on Suddenlink in Natchitoches, and streamed on ESPN+.

NSU (8-11) will attempt to defend its spotless record at Lady Demon Diamond (6-0) after dropping five hard-fought games at Arkansas' Wooo Pig Classic.

"We play LSU every fall and spring, and we have good relationships with those folks down there, and they do a great job with a Top 10 program every year," said NSU coach Donald Pickett. "It's great to get them in Natchitoches to play in front of our home crowd.

"It's a win-win for us because there are fans up in this part of the state who want to see LSU also. We'll get fans to come out who might not come all the time, and we can show what we're about. Hopefully we'll go out and compete and show people that there is a lot of softball in this state besides just LSU."

LSU (18-4) leads the all-time series 32-2 with both of NSU's wins coming in the Lady Demons inaugural 1979 season. The series has been rekindled in the past five years with the programs meeting six times.

The No. 24 Tigers came to Natchitoches in 2014 and were 5-3 winners. NSU led 3-0 in that game and even loaded the bases down two in the seventh inning.

The Lady Demons had a shot in 2017 in a 5-2 loss in Baton Rouge in which NSU loaded the bases in the sixth inning trailing 4-2.

Junior Elise Vincent said watching LSU softball growing up influenced her to pursue the sport, and she's excited to get the Tigers in Natchitoches.

"We'll finally have homefield advantage and have all of our fans here, and we're excited for the people of Natchitoches to see how our team has progressed," said Vincent, a native of Maurice, which is between Lafayette and Abbeville. "LSU softball was definitely big in growing my love for the sport, and they've been a powerhouse in softball.

"It's amazing to get the opportunity to play them here."

Sophomore Codi Vernace mentioned the Mardi Gras atmosphere in the stadium will add to the game experience for her. Vincent and Vernace are two of 12 Louisiana natives on NSU's team, five of which hail from South Louisiana.

"I love playing LSU – it's a lot of fun," said Vernace, a Metairie native. "Mardi Gras is very fun, and it will be like a little spark under our butts with no school and just being able to relax before the game.

"Being from the New Orleans area, everything is either LSU or the New Orleans Saints. I went to countless LSU softball games growing up, and Tiger Park is very nice. But it'll be a nice change of scenery to get them on our home turf."

The Tigers are the third ranked team NSU will play this season, joining No. 16 Texas (7-2 loss) and No. 12 Arkansas (8-2 loss). NSU will play its fifth televised game this season after all four games of the Texas Classic were broadcast on the Longhorn Network.

"The more you play (ranked team on television), the more comfortable you are," Pickett said. "If you're lucky enough to make a postseason run to the NCAA Tournament, you're a little more confident and prepared in what you're doing.

"It's a tough test, but you give it your best shot. It'll be great for these kids to get LSU at home and show off the renovations so people can see what we're doing out here."

Sophomore Cayla Jones has been NSU's most consistent bat as she leads the Lady Demons in batting average (.327), runs scored (17), home runs (3) and walks (14). Jones, the reigning Louisiana Freshman of the Year, had arguably the best freshman season in NSU history with 10 home runs, 36 RBIs, 41 runs scored and a .378 batting average.

The Lady Demons have posted a respectable 3.18 team ERA led by a resurgent Mikayla Brown (2.53 ERA), who has posted a 1-2 record in seven appearances. Freshman Bronte Rhoden (4-1, 2.67 ERA) leads the staff in wins.

NSU will face an LSU lineup with three Tigers batting over .400 (led Shelbi Sunseri's .480 with 11 home runs and 32 RBIs) and another four batting at least .300. Sunseri's 11 home runs in second in the nation.

Former Lady Demon Lindsay Leftwich is in her eighth season on the LSU staff as an assistant coach and will throw out the first pitch. Leftwich (2001-04) finished her career ranked fifth in home runs and RBIs at NSU in just three seasons before a back injury didn't allow her to play as a senior. Leftwich began her coaching career as a student assistant as a senior.