MONROE – Another five-game weekend with some familiar faces, and some new ones, await Northwestern State at the Best on the Bayou tournament.
 
For the first time this season the Demons (5-7) will play a game in Louisiana when it takes on former Southland Conference foe ULM to open the third five-game weekend set of games on Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m.
 
NSU also takes on another former SLC opponent in Sam Houston this weekend on Friday at 4p.m. and again Saturday at 9 a.m. The other two opponents for NSU this weekend are Evansville on Friday at 11 a.m. and Syracuse to close the weekend on Saturday at 11 a.m.
 
None of the weekend's games will be streamed on any video platforms. Live stats will be available courtesy of ULM via nsudemons.com.
 
NSU is coming off a five-game weekend and seven-game week that saw plenty of ups and downs among the 45 1/3 innings played this past week. They got a comeback win overcoming an anomalous five-error game against UMass, stretched an impressive pitching streak to eight games, scored a season-high five runs in one inning and lost a game via the run-rule for the first time this season.
 
"Throughout the fluctuations during the weekend in Houston, the Demons showed glimpses of what the offense is working towards under first-year head coach Lacy Prejean. That was exemplified by the five-run second inning against the Cougars on Sunday.
 
"I was proud of the fight they showed in game one," Prejean said. "They scored and we answered and finally got our offense going. That's the offense that I've seen all fall and, in the preseason, and we put it all together. We made some solid plays on defense, solid all-around execution on offense and Kenzie (Seely) pitched a great game. Unfortunately, they got the win on that walk off."
 
A squeeze bunt scored the first run to tie the game at one. A bloop single over the head of the short stop after in a nine-pitch at bat put NSU ahead and a two-run home run stretched the lead to 5-1 in the inning. Laney Roos, who brought in a pair on that single hit a two-run home run later in the game to give NSU a 7-5 lead in the sixth inning.
 
NSU hit three long balls on the weekend with its first two-homer game in 12 played thus far. They had just two game last season hitting two home runs, both coming in conference play. One against HCU and the other on the final SLC weekend of the year against Southeastern.
 
"I know they can do it because I've seen them do it in practice and in scrimmages," Prejean said of the offense. "To come out and put it all together offensively was good to see. We played the short game and executed on those plays and that's what it's supposed to be like. I know it's not going to be easy but I think every game they've shown some improvement in different areas. We're coming together in every area of the game, but I don't think we've put a full game together were offense, defense and pitching were all clicking together. When all that happens, we'll definitely be moving in the right direction." 
 
The NSU pitching staff has done its job through the early season giving the offense time to find its swing. In eight straight games, longer than any streak a year ago, they did not allow more than two earned runs in a single game. 
 
Senior Kenzie Seely was a major part of that stretch tossing three complete games coming within an out of consecutive shutouts this past week against Stephen F. Austin and UTSA. She pitched 13 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, allowing six hits with 14 strikeouts during that time. In her start against Houston, she gave NSU a chance to win working around six walks but striking out six batters, the most Ks in a game against the Cougars on the season.
 
"She's a competitor," Prejean said of Seely. "She wants the ball and she wants to win. She gives us a chance to do that every time she goes out there. Her pitch count has started to get up there later int eh game because we're getting behind on hitters and I think that affected her in those last two games this weekend. She's determined and I'll go to battle with her any day."
 
She will likely make two more starts this weekend as the Demons look to add a little more steadiness in areas of the game outside the pitching circle and put together their first winning week of the season. 
 
"I want to see more consistent offense," Prejean said. "Putting crooked numbers up in more than just one inning and see scoring throughout the game. Pitching has shown the ability to give the offense time to score but we just have to take some pressure off of them by doing that. Besides that one game on Friday, we played great defense all last week so more of that consistent play in the field."