NATCHITOCHES, La. – The Southland Conference has earned a national reputation as a baseball powerhouse, with a number of highly talented teams, from the heavy-hitters of Southeastern Louisiana to the dominant bullpen of Nicholls State University. Each Year the Southland's best battle for league supremacy, and the victors emerge battle-tested. It's only fitting that this year's regular season concludes with a matchup between two of the top teams in the conference - Nicholls and Northwestern State University.
 
The Colonels (33-16-1, 17-10 SLC) can finish as high as second in the Southland, or fall to fifth, depending on the final outcome this weekend. The Demons (29-20, 19-7 SLC) can win the regular-season title, or drop to fourth in the league.
 
Nicholls has earned back-to-back 30-win seasons for the first time since 1992-93 and is riding a nine-game winning streak. The Colonels are coming off of a 5-4 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette after a ninth-inning walk-off home run from Seth Stevens. Nicholls has won 20 of its last 24 games dating back to March.
 
Northwestern State was on a five-game winning streak of its own before falling to Louisiana Tech, 13-8, on Tuesday.
 
Last season the Demons earned a 2-1 series win against the Colonels, but the matchup could not have been closer. Northwestern State won Friday's matchup 6-5 and Saturday's game 1-0, before Nicholls earned a 4-2 victory in the series-finale on Sunday.
 
This year the Colonels and their top-ranked pitching staff hope to turn the tables on the Demons. Righty Ryan Deemes (5-2) will get the start on Thursday, lefty Grant Borne (5-4) on Friday and right-hander Justin Sinibaldi (10-1) on Saturday. The Nicholls pitching staff leads the Southland Conference and is fourth in the nation with a 2.36 ERA.
 
Northwestern State will counter with the Oller brothers, Adam (6-3) and Josh (9-1), on Thursday and Friday, and will throw Jeffrey Stovall (6-4) in the series-finale.
 
Kyle Reese spearheads the Colonel offense with a league-leading .380 batting average, 34 runs scored and 30 RBIs. Justin Holt leads the team with 36 runs this season.
 
Cort Brinson paces the Demon offense with a .353 average, 38 RBIs and 34 runs.
 
Game one of the series is set for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday with game two is slated for 6 p.m. on Friday. First pitch for the series-finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday. All three matchups this weekend will be broadcast live on KTIB 640 AM.
 
Visit geauxcolonels.com for live stats, video and the most up-to-date information on Nicholls baseball.