NATCHITOCHES — In the moment, Northwestern State junior pitcher E.C. Delafield didn't know the gravity of the situation. She just kept moving along, focusing on pitch selection and her approach at the plate.

It wasn't until after the game that Delafield, with a little help from her teammates, realized what she had just accomplished. 

"I never really got nervous, and it didn't really hit me until the last out when everybody started screaming 'No-hitter,'" Delafield said. "I was out there trying to do my best and really trusting my defense and trusting my pitches and doing the best I could, and it worked out."

Delafield's no-hitter Sunday completed a three-game sweep at Incarnate Word, which improved the Lady Demons to 12-7 overall and 6-0 in Southland Conference play. They'll look to build on that success at home this week with a three-game set against Houston Baptist.

The series commences Friday with a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. at the Lady Demon Diamond. It concludes with a single game Saturday at 12 p.m. 

The series against the Huskies — who stand at 9-6 overall and 2-4 in league action — will mark the first conference home series of the season for NSU. The Lady Demons have gotten off to their best start in league play since 2015 with six straight wins all coming on the road. 

"Our goal on the road has been to make their field our field," Delafield said. "Make everything our home field, and show we can win wherever we are."

Proof of that lies in the results. Northwestern State is outscoring its Southland Conference foes 49-6 through six games. 

It's been both the offense and the defense that's led to that impressive success, and Delafield's stellar play this past weekend was a microcosm of that. Along with tossing the 14th no-hitter in school history, the first since 2015, Delafield also logged another shutout start and a grand slam. 

"It was definitely my best weekend (of softball), collegiate wise," Delafield said. "I've had some weekends pitching and some weekends hitting, but I've really never put it together like I did this past weekend." 

The entire team has put it together, of late. Freshman infielder Kat Marshall leads the way, posting a .351 batting average. Delafield is hitting .341, and senior outfielder Elise Vincent boasts a batting average of .327.

Sophomore catcher Alexis Perry paces the team with 17 RBIs. Senior outfielder Kaitlyn St. Clair and junior pitcher Jensen Howell both have three home runs apiece to lead the team.

"Everybody is kind of getting back in a groove," head coach Donald Pickett said. "We are starting to gel again, and everybody is finding their role and doing that the best they can do. Everybody is kind of seeing how they fit in, and when the kids do that, we play better."

Delafield's stifling of the Cardinals improved her record to 4-1 on the season, which comes equipped with a team-best 1.78 ERA. Sophomore Bronte Rhoden sits at 3-2 with a 2.94 ERA, and Howell owns a 4-3 record and a 4.99 ERA. 

Heidi Jaquez leads the Huskies, laying claim to a .425 batting average. Jessica Patak has made a team-high seven starts, boasting an ERA of 2.63. The Lady Demons are 17-5 all-time against Houston Baptist and have won two in a row and five of the last six between the two squads. 

"They're always a good hitting team, and they move runners over and put pressure on you," Pickett said. "We have to come in here and focus on our energy level and just continue to build off what we are doing. If we do those things, we'll be sitting in pretty good spot this weekend."

Following the series against the Huskies, Northwestern State will make a quick trip up to Ruston for a single game at Louisiana Tech on Tuesday at 6 p.m.