NATCHITOCHES – On Daddy-Daughter Day at Lady Demon Diamond, Northwestern State got an infusion of "dad strength" on some early swings to pick up a 6-1 win in the series finale against HCU.
 
Back-to-back home runs from Makenzie Chaffin and Laney Roos highlighted a four-run first inning, helping the Lady Demons (18-15, 5-4) to its second straight Southland Conference series win of the season.
 
Like they did in the first game on Friday, NSU ambushed HCU (14-20, 4-5) starter Katy Janes in the first inning.
 
With Bailie Ragsdale at second following a leadoff walk and sacrifice bunt, Keely Dubois laced her third double of the weekend and 11^th of the season to the right center to put the Demons ahead 1-0. 
 
Two batters later Chaffin broke a season-long nine game homerless stretch for the Demons with a no-doubt bomb to right field, her team-leading third long ball of the season. Six pitches later Roos cleared the wall in right center for her first home run of the year, giving NSU a 4-0 lead and chasing Janes from the game.
 
"It was really good to see those balls leave the yard," Dubois said. "And it's funny, my dad asked me when I was going to hit a home run and I told him I don't care as long as I'm being consistent, so that's my goal. But it is nice to have a home run or two as long as we stay trying to hit gap-to-gap."
 
Maggie Darr used the early run support to make her way through the first three innings of the game before the Huskies put together their first, and only, run-scoring chance of the game in the fourth.
 
A two-out hit to left center with runners on first and second brought in HCU's only run of the game. A perfect throw from Nani Winger to third base secured the final out of the frame and prevented any potential momentum being gained.
 
NSU got the run right back on the bottom of the inning on three base hits, the third an Ashlyn Walker floater to shallow left that scored Roos from second.
 
Darr cruised through the final three innings of the game retiring the next eight batters she faced in a row and nine of the final 10 of the game. Roos and Ragsdale made impressive running grabs in the seventh to keep the Huskies off the bases making the two-out double from HCU's Maggie Childs meaningless in the inning.
 
"I really love watching her pitch," Dubois said of Darr's performance. "Being at short stop and watching how she makes the ball move like she does is insane. She's been working really hard, just like all of our pitchers, and it's paying off for her."
 
The Demons won their fifth straight home series against HCU with the 6-1 win and picked up their second straight Southland series win.
 
"I feel like this can be a good boost for us," Dubois said. "Especially coming back against the pitcher we struggled with last night. It's a good boost going into this coming weekend against McNeese. That's the one we really have to lock in for.