2021 Northwestern State Lady Demons softball team

2021 Northwestern State Lady Demons softball
Conference	Southland Conference
Record	24–22 (16–11 Southland)
Head coach	Donald Pickett (13th season)
Assistant coaches	Amanda Locke Brooke Boening
Home stadium	Lady Demon Diamond
Seasons ← 2020 2022  →

2021 Southland Conference softball standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
Stephen F. Austin  ‍†‍‍	25	–	2		.926			35	–	12		.745
Central Arkansas  ‍‍‍	21	–	6		.778			37	–	19		.661
McNeese State  ‍‍‡‍y	18	–	9		.667			35	–	26		.574
Northwestern State  ‍‍‍	16	–	11		.593			24	–	22		.522
Southeastern Louisiana  ‍‍‍	14	–	10		.583			28	–	23		.549
Houston Baptist  ‍‍‍	15	–	12		.556			22	–	17		.564
Sam Houston State  ‍‍‍	14	–	13		.519			19	–	31		.380
Abilene Christian  ‍‍‍	10	–	17		.370			14	–	33		.298
Incarnate Word  ‍‍‍	9	–	18		.333			16	–	27		.372
Texas A&M–Corpus Christi  ‍‍‍	8	–	16		.333			18	–	30		.375
Nicholls  ‍‍‍	5	–	22		.185			12	–	28		.300
Lamar  ‍‍‍	4	–	23		.148			8	–	43		.157
† – Conference champion ‡ – Tournament champion y – Invited to the NCAA tournament As of May 22, 2021 [1] Rankings from NFCA

The 2021 Northwestern State Lady Demons softball team represented Northwestern State University during the 2021 NCAA Division I softball season. The Lady Demons played their home games at Lady Demon Diamond and were led by thirteenth year head coach Donald Pickett. They were members of the Southland Conference.

Preseason

Southland Conference Coaches Poll

The Southland Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 5, 2021. Northwestern State was picked to finish sixth in the Southland Conference with 156 votes and 1 first place vote. ^[2]

Coaches poll
Predicted finish	Team	Votes (1st place)
1	Stephen F. Austin	235 (17)
2	McNeese State	217 (4)
3	Southeastern Louisiana	183
4	Sam Houston State	172 (1)
5	Central Arkansas	162 (1)
6	Northwestern State	156 (1)
7	Nicholls	131
8	Lamar	86
9	Abilene Christian	82
10	Houston Baptist	81
11	Texas A&M–Corpus Christi	47
12	Incarnate Word	32

Preseason All-Southland team

^[3]

First Team

• Kaylyn Shephard (UCA, R-SR, 1st Base)
• Cayla Joens (NSU, JR, 2nd Base)
• Cylla Hall (UCA, R-SR, 3rd Base)
• Cori McCrary (MCNS, SR, Shortstop)
• Ella Manzer (SELA, SR, Catcher)
• Samantha Bradley (ACU, R-SR, Designated Player)
• Linsey Tomlinson (ACU, R-SR, Outfielder)
• Kaylee Lopez (MCNS, SO, Outfielder)
• Elise Vincent (NSU, SR, Outfielder)
• Madisen Blackford (SELA, SR, Outfielder)
• Megan McDonald (SHSU, SR, Outfielder)
• Kayla Beaver (UCA, R-FR, Pitcher)
• Kassidy Wilbur (SFA, JR, Pitcher)
• E. C. Delafield (NSU, JR, Utility)

Second Team

• Shaylon Govan (SFA, SO, 1st Base)
• Brooke Malia (SHSU, SR, 2nd Base)
• Bryana Novegil (SFA, SR, 2nd Base)
• Caitlin Garcia (NICH, JR, 3rd Base)
• Alex Hudspeth (SFA, JR, Shortstop)
• Alexis Perry (NSU, SO, Catcher)
• Bailey Richards (SFA, SR, Catcher)
• Caitlyn Brockway (HBU, SO, Designated Player)
• Reagan Sperling (UCA, R-JR, Outfielder)
• Alayis Seneca (MCNS, SO, Outfielder)
• Hayley Barbazon (NSU, SR, Outfielder)
• Saleen Flores (MCNS, SO, Pitcher)
• MC Comeaux (SELA, FR, Pitcher)
• Sammi Thomas (TAMUCC, SO, Utility)

National Softball Signing Day

^[4]

Player	Position	Hometown	Previous Team
Sage Hoover	Pitcher	Edgewood, Texas	Rains HS
Adriana Vences	Pitcher	Marshall, Texas	Marshall HS
Haley Parker	Pitcher	Fort Worth, Texas	Bosewell HS
Derika Castillo	Utility	Houston, Texas	Summer Creek HS
Bailie Ragsdale	Utility	Lone Oak, Texas	Lone Oak HS
Vivica Hernandez	Outfielder	Fort Worth, Texas	V. R. Eaton HS
Carson Zachry	Infielder	Mount Pleasant, Texas	Mount Pleasant HS

Roster

2021 Northwestern State Lady Demons roster
	Pitchers 5 Jensen Howell - Junior 7 Bronte Rhoden - Sophomore 11 Kenzie Seely - Freshman 15 Emma Callie Delafield - Junior 18 Heather Zook - Freshman 28 Maggie Darr - Freshman Outfielders 1 Hayley Barbazon - Senior 6 Makenzie Chaffin - Freshman 9 Kaitlyn St. Clair - Senior 21 Elise Vincent - Senior 23 Laney Roos - Freshman 32 Nani Winger - Freshman 44 Casey Irvin - Sophomore		Catchers 17 Kat Marshall - Freshman 33 Lexie Roos - Freshman 42 Alexis Perry - Sophomore Infielders 2 Cayla Jones - Junior 4 Maggie Black - Sophomore 8 Emma Hawthorne - Senior 22 Chelsea Spain - Freshman 40 Alexis Szafran - Freshman Utilities 12 Taylor Williams - Freshman 14 Keely DuBois - Freshman 24 Kacee Mertens - Freshman 47 Marissa Reed - Sophomore

Coaching staff

2021 Northwestern State Lady Demons coaching staff
Donald Pickett – Head Coach – 12th year Amanda Locke – Assistant Head Coach – 5th year Brooke Boening – Assistant Head Coach – 3rd year

Schedule and results

Legend
	Northwestern State win
	Northwestern State loss
	Postponement/Cancellation
Bold	Northwestern State team member

2021 Northwestern State Lady Demons softball game log
Regular season (22-20)
February (5-2) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC Record Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission Lady Demon Classic Feb. 12 Arkansas–Pine Bluff Parc Natchitoches • Natchitoches, LA Game cancelled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in Natchitoches Feb. 12 UT Martin Parc Natchitoches • Natchitoches, LA Game cancelled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in Natchitoches Feb. 13 Evansville Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA Game cancelled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in Natchitoches Feb. 13 Arkansas–Pine Bluff Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA Game cancelled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in Natchitoches Feb. 14 Evansville Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA Game cancelled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in Natchitoches Feb. 14 Arkansas–Pine Bluff Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA Game cancelled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in Natchitoches Getterman Classic Feb. 19 vs. Prairie View A&M Getterman Stadium • Waco, TX Game cancelled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in Waco Feb. 19 at No. 23 Baylor Getterman Stadium • Waco, TX Game cancelled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in Waco Feb. 20 vs. No. 21 Missouri Getterman Stadium • Waco, TX Game cancelled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in Waco Feb. 21 at Louisiana–Monroe Geo-Surfaces Field at the ULM Softball Complex • Monroe, LA Game postponed due to threat of ice on field in Monroe. Feb. 24 at Louisiana–Monroe Geo-Surfaces Field at the ULM Softball Complex • Monroe, LA Game postponed due to threat of ice on field in Monroe Feb. 23 Grambling State Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA W 10-0 (5 inns) Rhoden (1-0) Bonner (0-1) None 101 1-0 Feb. 23 Grambling State Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA W 9-1 (5 inns) Howell (1-0) Shells (0-1) None 135 2-0 South Alabama Invitational Feb. 26 vs. SIU Edwardsville Jaguar Field • Mobile, AL W 3-0 (8 inns) Howell (2-0) Ingles (0-1) None 200 3-0 Feb. 27 vs. Middle Tennessee Jaguar Field • Mobile, AL W 2-0 Delafield (1-0) Mead (0-1) Rhoden (1) 200 4-0 Feb. 27 vs. No. 20 Missouri Jaguar Field • Mobile, AL L 0-8 (5 inns) Weber (4-0) Howell (2-1) None 200 4-1 Feb. 28 vs. SIU Edwardsville Jaguar Field • Mobile, AL W 6-5 (8 inns) Guile (1-0) Ingles (0-3) None 200 5-1 Feb. 28 at South Alabama Jaguar Field • Mobile, AL L 1-6 Lackie (5-2) Seely (0-1) None ESPN+ 200 5-2
March (10-6) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC Record Mar. 3 Louisiana–Monroe Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA W 3-1 Howell (2-1) Hulett (1-2) None 282 6-2 Wooo Pig Classic Mar. 5 vs. Drake Bogle Park • Fayetteville, AR L 2-12 (5 inns) Hupke (1-0) Howell (3-2) None 448 6-3 Mar. 5 at No. 20 Arkansas Bogle Park • Fayetteville, AR L 5-13 (6 inns) Howell (2-0) Rhoden (1-1) None SECN+ 578 6-4 Mar. 6 vs. Kansas Bogle Park • Fayetteville, AR L 0-5 Reed (4-2) Dealfield (1-1) None 480 6-5 Mar. 6 at No. 20 Arkansas Bogle Park • Fayetteville, AR L 2-13 (5 inns) Haff (9-1) Howell (3-3) None 590 6-6 Mar. 7 vs. Kansas Bogle Park • Fayetteville, AR L 2-6 Mills (1-0) Rhoden (1-2) None 269 6-7 Mar. 12 at Nicholls Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA W 8-3 Rhoden (2-2) Danehower (3-2) None 123 7-7 1-0 Mar. 12 at Nicholls Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA W 10-1 (5 inns) Howell (4-3) Moon (1-3) None 123 8-7 2-0 Mar. 13 at Nicholls Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA W 4-0 Delafield (2-1) LaBure (2-3) None 101 9-7 3-0 Mar. 19 at Incarnate Word H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX W 5-2 Rhoden (3-2) Gunther (1-4) None 75 10-7 4-0 Mar. 19 at Incarnate Word H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX W 17-0 (5 inns) Delafield (3-1) Trapp (0-3) None 75 11-7 5-0 Mar. 20 at Incarnate Word H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX W 5-0 Delafield (4-1) Gunther (1-5) None 75 12-7 6-0 Mar. 26 Houston Baptist Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA W 2-1 Howell (5-3) Patak (3-6) None 300 13-7 7-0 Mar. 26 Houston Baptist Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA W 5-1 Delafield (5-1) Venker (2-1) None 300 14-7 8-0 Mar. 27 Houston Baptist Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA W 7-2 Rhoden (4-2) Patak (3-7) None 200 15-7 9-0 Mar. 30 at Louisiana Tech Lady Techster Softball Complex • Ruston, LA L 0-3 Pickett (3-5) Seely (0-2) Hernandez (1) 250 15-8
April (5–10) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC Record Apr. 2 Central Arkansas Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA L 1-3 Johnson (7-4) Howell (5-4) None 250 15-9 9-1 Apr. 2 Central Arkansas Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA L 0-4 Beaver (10-3) Delafield (5-2) None 250 15-10 9-2 Apr. 3 Central Arkansas Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA L 3-4 Beaver (11-3) Rhoden (4-3) Johnson (1) 203 15-11 9-3 Apr. 9 at Lamar Lamar Softball Complex • Beaumont, TX L 1-3 Mixon (2-10) Howell (5-5) None 119 15-12 9-4 Apr. 9 at Lamar Lamar Softball Complex • Beaumont, TX W 15-2 Delafield (6-2) Reyna (1-11) None 119 16-12 10-4 Apr. 10 at Lamar Lamar Softball Complex • Beaumont, TX W 5-4 Delafield (7-2) Mixon (2-11) Rhoden (2) 119 17-12 11-4 Apr. 13 at Grambling State GSU Softball Complex • Grambling, LA Game Postponed Apr. 17 at Stephen F. Austin SFA Softball Field • Nacogdoches, TX L 0-2 Wilbur (21-3) Howell (5-6) None 500 17-13 11-5 Apr. 17 at Stephen F. Austin SFA Softball Field • Nacogdoches, TX L 5-9 Wilbur (22-3) Rhoden (4-4) None 150 17-14 11-6 Apr. 18 at Stephen F. Austin SFA Softball Field • Nacogdoches, TX L 0-6 Wilbur (23-3) Howell (5-7) None 217 17-15 11-7 Apr. 21 at Southern Lady Jaguar Field • Baton Rouge, LA Game postponed Apr. 21 at Southern Lady Jaguar Field • Baton Rouge, LA Game postponed Apr. 24 Sam Houston State Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA W 4-3 (9 inns) Howell (6-7) Vento (7-5) None 150 18-15 12-7 Apr. 24 Sam Houston State Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA W 6-4 Delafield (8-2) Dunn (5-9) None 200 19-15 13-7 Apr. 25 Sam Houston State Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA L 1-6 Billmeier (1-5) Howell (6-8) None 175 19-16 13-8 Apr. 27 Louisiana Tech Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA L 2-3 (15 inns) Koenig (1-3) Delafield (9-3) None 204 19-17 Apr. 30 at McNeese State Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA L 0-3 Tate (9-7) Howell (6-9) None 401 19-18 13-9 Apr. 30 at McNeese State Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA W 3-2 Delafield (9-3) Flores (5-8) None 401 20-18 14-9
May (2-2) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC Record May 1 at McNeese State Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA L 3-5 (8 inns) Tate (10-7) Delafield (0-4) None 478 20-19 14-10 May 7 Southeastern Louisiana Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA W 9-4 Delafield (10-4) Zumo (15-6) None 200 21-19 15-10 May 7 Southeastern Louisiana Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA W 13-5 (5 inns) Seely (1-2) Hannabas (2-6) None 200 22-19 16-10 May 8 Southeastern Louisiana Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA L 2-7 Comeaux (8-6) Rhoden (4-5) None 150 22-20 16-11
Post-Season (2-2)
Southland Tournament (2-2) Date Opponent (Seed)/Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record Tournament record May 13 vs. (5) Southeastern Louisiana (4) North Oak Park • Hammond, LA W 7-4 Delafield (11-4) Kraft (0-1) None ESPN+ 343 23-20 1-0 May 13 vs. (1) Stephen F. Austin (4) North Oak Park • Hammond, LA L 1-4 Wilbur (30-4) Howell (6-10) None ESPN+ 335 24-20 1-1 May 14 vs. (7) Sam Houston State (4) North Oak Park • Hammond, LA W 8-0 (5 inns) Delafield (12-4) Dunn (8-12) None ESPN+ 319 24-21 2-1 May 14 vs. (2) Central Arkansas (4) North Oak Park • Hammond, LA L 2-5 Beaver (20-6) Delafield (12-5) None ESPN+ 339 24-22 2-2

Schedule source: ^[5] *Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the NFCA/USA Softball poll.

Postseason

Conference accolades

• Player of the Year: Kassidy Wilbur – SFA
• Hitter of the Year: Shaylon Govan – SFA
• Pitcher of the Year: Kassidy Wilbur – SFA
• Freshman of the Year: Jenna Wildeman – UCA
• Newcomer of the Year: Jenna Edwards – MCNS
• Coach of the Year: Nicole Dickson – SFA

All Conference First Team Shaylon Govan (SFA) Bryana Novegil (SFA) Haylee Brinlee (MCNS) Cori McCrary (MCNS) Heidi Jaquez (HBU) E. C. Delafield (NSU) Mackenzie Bennett (SFA) Jenna Wildeman (UCA) Megan McDonald (SHSU) Aeriyl Mass (SELA) Kayla Beaver (UCA) Kassidy Wilbur (SFA)

All Conference Second Team Kaylyn Shephard (UCA) Mary Kate Brown (UCA) Lindsey Rizzo (SELA) Camryn Middlebrook (SFA) Hannah Scheaffer (SHSU) Gaby Garcia (SFA) Kaylee Lopez (MCNS) Donelle Johnson (ACU) Jil Poullard (MCNS) Audrey Greely (SELA) Jordan Johnson (UCA) Whitney Tate (MCNS)

All Conference Third Team Caitlyn Brockway (HBU) Cayla Jones (NSU) Alex Hedspeth (SFA) Ashlyn Reavis (NICH) Chloe Gomez (MCNS) Jasie Roberts (HBU) Anna Rodenberg (SELA) Kaitlyn St. Clair (NSU) Sheridan Fisher (SHSU) Pal Egan (TAMUCC) Lyndie Swanson (HBU) Heather Zumo (SELA)

References: ^[6]

References

1. "Southland Softball Standings". www.southland.org. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
2. "Ladyjacks Tabbed 2021 Softball Preseason Favorites". www.southland.org. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
3. "2021 Southland Preseason All-Conference Softball Teams Announced". www.southland.org. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
4. "Lady Demons ink 7 during early-signing period". Northwestern State University Athletics. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
5. "Softball set to play challenging 2021 schedule". Northwestern State University Athletics. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
6. "SFA's Kassidy Wilbur Named Southland Player of the Year". www.southland.org. Retrieved January 6, 2022.