NATCHITOCHES – Arguably the most challenging and unique Southland Conference season begins Friday night for the Northwestern State baseball team.
 
The Demons host Incarnate Word at 6:30 p.m. Friday in the opener of a four-game series, which marks the start of a 40-game conference slate that features 10 four-game weekend series.
 
"It will be unlike anything we've ever done," fifth-year head coach Bobby Barbier said. "Because of the doubleheaders we had earlier in the year, I feel like we're prepared for being out there a while."
 
The Demons' first four-game series in conference play also includes a 2 p.m. Saturday doubleheader and a single 1 p.m. Sunday matinee. Subscription video will be available for all three games. Streaming audio will be available based upon the performance of Northwestern State's men's basketball team in the Southland Conference Tournament.
 
Regardless of the number of games, the matchup between the Demons (5-5) and Cardinals (3-2) is a study in strengths.
 
Northwestern State's 3.03 team ERA ranks 38^th nationally and third in conference play. The Demon staff leads the conference and stands 13^th nationally in hits per nine innings (6.07).
 
Meanwhile, UIW leads the Southland and ranks 18^th nationally with a .526 slugging percentage.
 
"Since they've been in the league and got established, they've done a good job recruiting," Barbier said. "They've swung the bats well. They have a few freshmen who started for them opening weekend, and they have some good arms. We'll definitely have to compete hard and do more things to win as the stakes go up. We have to make sure we take care of things we need to do to win baseball games or to compete in baseball games."
 
In each of the first three weekends of the season, the Demons have run out the same three starting pitchers – right-hander Johnathan Harmon, left-hander Cal Carver and right-hander Levi David – something that will continue this weekend.
 
Barbier has not announced a Sunday starter as the Demons play a four-game weekend series for just the second time since opening the 2015 year with four at Troy.
 
Harmon, Carver and David combined to throw 19 innings against Austin Peay, allowing just two earned runs.
 
With seven scoreless innings in the middle game of the series, Carver extended his season-opening scoreless streak to 16 innings. A left-hander from San Antonio, Carver leads the Southland Conference in hits per nine innings (4.50).
 
"All three have improved as the season has gone along," Barbier said. "That's something we have to do as a staff and as a team. We're still developing our bullpen roles. What's tough about these four-game weekend series is we don't have the mid-week games we normally do, so our roles are still being developed. We'll see who steps up and gets to be that fourth starter."
 
The addition of 10 doubleheaders to Southland Conference play may not faze Northwestern State much as weather forced the Demons to play a pair of twinbills within six days of each other.
 
"We should be prepared for it," Barbier said. "Going game-by-game, inning-by-inning, pitch-by-pitch, all of those cliches. That's really important. You're going to have three games played within about 30 hours. If we let Friday affect the first game Saturday – good or bad – or the first game Saturday affect the second, it's going to be a world of hurt for us.
 
"Those games, if we let the excitement from winning or the disappointment from losing linger, it shows up more in the end this year. We are going to have so many games in a short period of time, we have to be able to move on from good and bad performances, get a nap or get a snack and come back ready to play."
 
Series Probables
Friday: UIW LHP Carson Rollins (1-0, 2.45) at Northwestern State RHP Johnathan Harmon (0-2, 4.05)
Saturday: UIW RHP Isaiah Zavala (1-0, 2.08) and TBA at Northwestern State LHP Cal Carver (2-0, 0.00) and RHP Levi David (0-1, 4.15)
Sunday: UIW TBA at Northwestern State TBA