BEAUMONT, Texas – In three seasons of the Chris Bertrand era of Northwestern State baseball, home has been the place where the Demons typically have fashioned most of their success.
 
Through their first three Southland Conference road series of the 2026 season, the Demons have proven they can succeed away from Brown-Stroud Field as well.
 
Northwestern opens its fourth Southland road series of the season at Lamar, opening the three-game set with a 7 p.m. first pitch at Vincent-Beck Stadium. The series also includes a 5 p.m. Saturday matchup and a 1 p.m. Sunday series finale. All three games are scheduled to air on ESPN+ with free streaming audio available through www.NSUDemons.com. Sunday's series finale will air on 100.7 FM KZBL in Natchitoches.
 
"I think it's the open-mindedness and the willingness to learn," Bertrand said of the reasons behind his team's 7-2 road start in conference play.
 
"The things we needed to learn how to do in different environments, in different ballparks and the way we've learned how to win baseball games in a multitude of ways. It's been the accountability of the group as a whole when they say we have a goal or a mission – in this case, we wanted to be a better road team – they take it to heart."
 
The Demons (23-14, 14-7) will take that road success into the first of their nine "high-stakes" Southland games remaining.
 
Northwestern is tied for the league lead with Southeastern Louisiana, sitting 1 1-2 games ahead of Stephen F. Austin and Lamar (19-18, 11-7).
 
The Cardinals and Demons share similar traits.
 
The teams rank first (Northwestern) and third (Lamar), respectively, in team ERA in the league while ranking 1-2 in opponents' batting average (Lamar .239, Northwestern .250).
 
Lamar's pitching staff shares the league lead with three shutouts as well.
 
"They're going to be well prepared and you know they're going to be well-armed with the talent they have and the team they have and have had for the past three or four years," Bertrand said. "We want to continue to stack bricks and continue to learn as we challenge ourselves against the best. We understand there has to be a level of success against the best if we're going to ultimately get to where we want to be. It's why you call yourself a competitor and why we try to have high-level expectations and aspirations around here."
 
The visit to Vincent-Beck Stadium, where the Cardinals are 63-15 in the past two-plus seasons, adds to a list of challenging environments on the Northwestern schedule.
 
That includes trips to UTRGV Baseball Stadium and this past Tuesday's game at LSU.
 
"We are excited and thankful for the opportunity that we have, because we recognize that it has been our level of commitment to the game and to competing that has put us in this position," Bertrand said. "We have learned from (Tuesday) night and from all the games we have played thus far this season, so how can we take all of those lessons, continue to mix it with that spirited competitiveness, and then put it into use in every way we can? We really feel like with everything we have gone through that, if we do that, we can accept the results. I think if we do it and do it well, we're going to also like the results."
 
NSU Projected Starting Rotation
Friday: RHP Kevin Robinson (0-2, 2.52)
Saturday: RHP Dylan Marionneaux (4-2, 4.24)
Sunday: RHP Trent Hillen (2-2, 6.33)