NATCHITOCHES – When Balin Valentine faces Nicholls, good things happen for both him and the Northwestern State baseball team.
 
Valentine picked up his second career Southland Conference Hitter of the Week honor Monday, driven by another strong weekend against the Colonels. The award is voted on by league sports information directors.
 
A senior from Abilene, Texas, Valentine homered three times in the series sweep of Nicholls, including the first multi-home run game of his career in Sunday's series finale.
 
In six games against Nicholls in his two seasons at Northwestern, Valentine has homered five times and driven in 17 runs. Each of his SLC Hitter of the Week honors have come following a weekend against the Colonels.
 
After leading the Demons in home runs a season ago, Valentine connected on his first of the season in Northwestern's 11-1 win against Centenary this past Tuesday, adding a triple against the Gents as well.
 
For the week, Valentine batted .357 with four home runs and 10 RBIs. He added a 3-to-1 walk-to-strikeout ratio and grabbed his 13^th stolen base of the season. All five of his hits went for extra bases, giving him a 1.357 slugging percentage for the week.
 
Valentine and the Demons return to action Tuesday night when they face UL Lafayette at 6 p.m. in Lafayette.