BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University softball team heads to defending regular-season champion Northwestern State for a three-game Southland Conference series this weekend.
 
LU (19-12 overall, 6-3 Southland) is in a three-way for third place with Central Arkansas and Abilene Christian, just a half-game behind second-place Nicholls and three games behind SLC-leading McNeese State. Northwestern State (20-11, 5-4) is in sixth place.
 
"This is a big series for us," LU coach Holly Bruder said. "Northwestern State was one of the preseason favorites. They're tough at their field. We have to be focused and play the way we are capable of playing."
 
LU looked impressive in last weekend's conference sweep of Incarnate Word, allowing just one run the entire weekend. The pitching staff this week will have to shut down a Northwestern State that is hitting .300 while clubbing 32 home runs in 31 games.
 
That task will fall to sophomore right-hander Laura Napoli 6-5, 2.76) and junior righty Ciara Luna (8-3, 2.47). Napoli earned Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week honors on Monday after throwing back-to-back two-hit shutouts against Incarnate Word.
 
Kellye Kincannon leads Northwestern State in almost every category, as she is batting .427 with nine home runs and 28 RBIs.
 
LU's offense is led by junior right fielder Brittany Rodriguez, who is hitting .429 overall, and .469 in SLC play. As a team, LU leads the conference in batting average (.324) and on-base percentage (.431).
 
The LU offense will likely face a pair of right-handers in the three-game series in junior Selby Shells (7-6, 2.75) and sophomore Micaela Bouvier (11-4, 2.94). The duo has combined to throw 189 of the 206 innings compiled by the Lady Demons' pitching staff.
 
Following the weekend series, LU travels to Baylor for a non-conference game at 4 p.m. Tuesday before hosting Southeastern Louisiana in a three-game Southland Conference series at the LU Softball Complex on April 8-9.
 
All three games at Northwestern State will be internet-only broadcasts.