NATCHITOCHES – The adage, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again," is an apt one for the Northwestern State baseball team's midweek schedule.
 
Twice this season, the Demons were scheduled to play back-to-back midweek games only to see weather issues postpone half of those matchups.
 
Starting Tuesday night at 6 against Louisiana Tech, the Demons again will try to fit a five-game week into their schedule. After Tuesday's game, the Demons will host Southern at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Both games will air on ESPN+ and can be heard on 100.7 FM KZBL, NSUDemons.com and the Northwestern State Athletics mobile app, which can be downloaded free for Apple and Android devices.
 
"Preparing three types of game plans and three scouting reports while continuing to grow, learn and develop is not only a challenge for our team, but also for our coaching staff and our entire program," third-year head coach Chris Bertrand said. "We look forward to the grind of what it is and the competition and how it will make us a better team. I'm excited to welcome people to the B-Stro. It's nice to play in front of our fans.
 
"It sets up well to have the challenge of five games at home after the longest road trip of the year. There's some design in that."
 
The Demons will send right-hander Chase Prestwich (1-0, 6.00) to the mound for his first start since May 17, 2024. Caden Fiveash (2-0, 5.59) will start Wednesday's game against Southern.
 
After missing the entire 2025 season because of shoulder surgery, Prestwich has made four relief appearances for Northwestern (21-10).
 
"I'm excited for Chase to get back on the mound as a starting pitcher," Bertrand said. "I'm really excited that he gets back on the mound in familiar territory in something that means something to him against an opponent that means something for everybody."
 
The Bulldogs (17-16) snapped an eight-game losing streak Friday and took a road Conference USA series at FIU with back-to-back wins on Friday and Saturday. Louisiana Tech won the first meeting between the longtime rivals, 5-2, in Ruston on Feb. 24.
 
Since then, the Demons and Bulldogs have found themselves moving in opposite directions.
 
Northwestern has won 16 of its 22 games since that first meeting while Louisiana Tech is 9-15 in that span.
 
The Demons will cap the double midweek with a visit from Southern (11-19), whom Northwestern was supposed to face in Baton Rouge on March 17. Weather kept that game from happening and has been rescheduled for April 22.
 
While the Bulldogs and Jaguars share a home state, they will challenge the Demons in different ways.
 
Louisiana Tech, for instance, has hit 41 home runs while Southern has just 10. Conversely, the Jaguars have swiped 82 bases on the season to just 21 for the Bulldogs.
 
"It's a challenge in a way that we have two teams coming in that will play two distinctly different styles of baseball," Bertrand said. "We get to test ourselves against those types of things that will put some more layers on the armor and more skins on the wall in the way of learning and developing, and how we can continue to use each and every baseball opportunity for the betterment of the ball club."

Following a 6-1 road trip that took Northwestern to ULM, Nicholls and UTRGV, the Demons return to a place where they have won 32 of their past 37 games.
 
"We're having the success we're having, and we're developing those skills and unique things because of the character of the men," Bertrand said. "They answer the bell. They look forward to the challenge. They want to grind. They accept everything we put before them. A goal (to be better on the road), yes, the box is checked, but I'm proud of how they did it and what they exhibit while they do it.
 
"We're becoming a better road team and putting ourselves in an advantageous position to come home where we've had success. I like the wave of momentum the Demons are building now, but we have to be consistent in our ability to ride it and use it."