STARKVILLE, Miss. – Northwestern State's final non-conference weekend takes it to its fourth different state in four weekends for the Bulldog Invitational presented by C Spire hosted by Mississippi State.
 
The Demons (1-14) are making their first trip to the Magnolia State since 2016 where they will play a pair of games against Alabama State (1-14), two against the host and No. 20 ranked Mississippi State (14-2) and one against New Mexico (7-9-1).
 
All games will have live stats available through nsudemons.com and both games against Mississippi State are scheduled to air on SEC Network+ on Saturday and Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
 
NSU's opening game of the weekend is set for 10 a.m. against Alabama State that, like the Demons, have been looking for things to come together at the same time under their first-year head coach.
 
Both teams enter the weekend with identical 1-14 records with wins over upper mid-major schools this year. The Demons captured a 4-3 win over Memphis two weeks ago while the Hornets used a seven-run sixth to take down UConn this past weekend.
 
The similarities even extend both team's first-year coaches.
 
Both Fuller and ASU's Camise Patterson were named Coach of the Year by their conferences in 2024 – Fuller by the MIAA at Pittsburg State and Patterson by the SWAC at Florida A&M. Both coaches were hired to their current position within five days of each other this past July.
 
When the teams play on Friday morning it will be the first meeting between the two programs with one of them earning their second win of the season. The teams will meet for a second time to start Saturday's schedule of games as well.
 
The Demons are looking for a bounce-back performance following Wednesday night's run-rule loss to ULM. The hot Warhawk bats got them going early and their patience at the plate, drawing nine walks from Demon pitching, fueled the offensive fires even further.
 
Free passes have plagued the young Demon pitching staff throughout the season, surrendering nearly four walks per game on the season. The Hornets have equally struggled with free bases from their staff, putting nearly six aboard this year with four out of the zone.
 
Taking advantage of their chances with runners on continues to be a key development point for the Demons as they collect at bats each and every game.
 
They were unable to turn a pair of less-than-two-out-doubles, one from Cameron Curtis and one from Brynn Daniel, or back-to-back hits in the game against ULM into any runs. The Demons have left an average of six runners on base per game this year, including three games with 10 or more left stranded.
 
Leadoff batter Sophia Livers has the most hits (6) with runners on base this year.
 
The Demons wrap up their non-conference schedule this weekend in Mississippi before the first of nine Southland Conference series beginning next weekend in Natchitoches against HCU.