2023 Northwestern State Lady Demons softball team

The 2023 Northwestern State Lady Demons softball team represented Northwestern State University during the 2023 NCAA Division I softball season. The Lady Demons played their home games at Lady Demon Diamond and were led by fifteenth year head coach Donald Pickett. They are members of the Southland Conference.

2023 Northwestern State Lady Demons softball
Conference	Southland Conference
Record	25–27 (10–14 Southland)
Head coach	Donald Pickett (15th season)
Assistant coach	Lexi Smith
Home stadium	Lady Demon Diamond
Seasons ← 2022 2024 →

2023 Southland Conference softball standings

v t e	Conf.									Overall
Team	W		L		T		PCT			W		L		T		PCT
McNeese  ‍†‍‡‍y	21	–	3	–	0		.875			47	–	16	–	0		.746
Southeastern Louisiana  ‍‍‍	19	–	5	–	0		.792			47	–	14	–	0		.770
Nicholls  ‍‍‍	13	–	11	–	0		.542			29	–	24	–	0		.547
Lamar  ‍‍‍	12	–	12	–	0		.500			22	–	34	–	0		.393
Texas A&M–Corpus Christi  ‍‍‍	11	–	13	–	0		.458			24	–	24	–	0		.500
Northwestern State  ‍‍‍	10	–	14	–	0		.417			25	–	27	–	0		.481
Houston Christian  ‍‍‍	9	–	15	–	0		.375			20	–	33	–	0		.377
Incarnate Word  ‍‍‍	8	–	16	–	0		.333			16	–	30	–	1		.351
Texas A&M–Commerce*  ‍‍‍	5	–	19	–	0		.208			9	–	39	–	0		.188
† – Conference champion ‡ – Tournament champion y – Invited to the NCAA tournament * Ineligible for the 2023 NCAA tournament due to transition from Division II[1] As of May 21, 2023[2] Rankings from NFCA/USA Today

Preseason

Southland Conference Coaches Poll

The Southland Conference Coaches Poll was released on January 26, 2023. Northwestern State was picked to finish third in the Southland Conference with 91 votes.^[3]

Coaches poll
Predicted finish	Team	Votes (1st place)
1	McNeese State	128 (16)
2	Southeastern Louisiana	113 (2)
3	Northwestern State	91
4	Texas A&M–Corpus Christi	85
5	Houston Christian	58
6	Lamar	49
7	Texas A&M–Commerce	47
8	Incarnate Word	45
9	Nicholls	32

Preseason All-Southland team

Two Lady Demons were named to the conference preseason first team, and three Lady Demons were named as second team members. ^[3]

First Team

• Crislyne Moreno (MCNS, SO, 1st Base)
• Caleigh Cross (MCNS, SR, 2nd Base)
• Jil Poullard (MCNS, JR, 3rd Base)
• Maddie Watson (SELA, SO, Shortstop)
• Bailey Krolczyk (SELA, JR, Catcher)
• Kaylee Lopez (MCNS, SR, Utility)
• Audrey Greely (SELA, JR, Designated Player)
• Laney Roos (NSU, JR, Outfielder)
• Alayis Seneca (MCNS, SR, Outfielder)
• Cam Goodman (SELA, JR, Outfielder)
• Ashley Vallejo (MCNS, JR, Pitcher)
• Bronte Rhoden (NSU, SR, Pitcher)

Second Team

• Sydney Hoyt (TAMUCC, JR, 1st Base)
• Madison Rayner (SELA, SR, 2nd Base)
• Haylie Savage (HCU, SO, 3rd Base)
• Ryleigh Mata (UIW, SO, Shortstop)
• Tristin Court (NSU, JR, Catcher)
• Melise Gossen (NICH, SR, Utility)
• Chloe Gomez (MCNS, JR, Designated Player)
• Alexa Poche (NICH, JR, Outfielder)
• Makenzie Chaffin (NSU, JR, Outfielder)
• Bailie Ragsdale (NSU, SO, Outfielder)
• Lyndie Swanson (HCU, JR, Pitcher)
• Siarah Galvan (TAMUCC, SO, Pitcher)

Roster

2023 Northwestern State Lady Demons softball team
Players	Coaches
# Pos. Name Bats/throws Height Year Home town 0 OF Vivica Hernandez L/L 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) So Fort Worth, Texas 2 OF Camryn Ford L/L 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) Fr Marthaville, Louisiana 4 C Ashlyn Walker R/R 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Jr Saginaw, Texas 6 OF Makenzie Chaffin L/R 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Jr Bossier City, Louisiana 7 RHP Bronte Rhoden R/R 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m) Sr Plano, Texas 9 OF Laney Roos L/L 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m) Jr Aubrey, Texas 10 INF Megan Risher L/L 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) Fr Benton, Louisiana 11 RHP Kenzie Seely R/R 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) Jr Whitney, Texas 12 INF Taylor Williams L/R 5 ft 3 in (1.6 m) Jr Tom Bean, Texas 13 C Tristin Court R/R 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Jr Rockwall, Texas 14 INF Keely DuBois R/R 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Jr Robeline, Louisiana 15 RHP Nana Vences  R/R 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) RS Fr Marshall, Texas 17 INF Kat Marshall R/R 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Jr Brenham, Texas 18 RHP Rylie Denton L/R 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m) Jr Rotan, Texas 22 OF Bailie Ragsdale L/R 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) So Lone Oak, Texas 23 OF Nani Winger  R/R 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) RS So Friendswood, Texas 24 RHP Haley Parker  R/R 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) RS Fr Fort Worth, Texas 27 C Derika Castillo R/R 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) So Houston, Texas 28 RHP Maggie Darr  R/R 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) RS So Missouri City, Texas 33 C Lexie Roos R/R 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Jr Aubrey, Texas	Head coach Donald Pickett (UT Chattanooga) Assistant coach(es) Lexi Smith (Texas A&M) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Current redshirt Roster Last update: January 5, 2023

Schedule and results

Legend
	Northwestern State win
	Northwestern State loss
	Postponement/Cancellation
Bold	Northwestern State team member
*	Non-Conference game
†	Make-Up Game

2023 Northwestern State Lady Demons softball game log
Regular season (25–27)
February (7–7) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC record Bearkat Classic Feb. 10 vs. UTSA* Bearkat Softball Complex • Huntsville, TX 3–1 Darr, Maggie (1-0) GILBERT (0-1) Rhoden, Bronte (1) 105 1–0 Feb. 11 vs. Delaware* Bearkat Softball Complex • Huntsville, TX 4–7 Shank (1-0) Darr, Maggie (0-1) Winburn (1) 155 1–1 Feb. 12 vs. South Dakota State* Bearkat Softball Complex • Huntsville, TX 0–2 Lasey (2-0) Denton, Ryleigh (0-1) 150 1–2 Feb. 12 at Sam Houston State* Bearkat Softball Complex • Huntsville, TX 1–2 GUIDON, EMMA (2-0) Darr, Maggie (1-2) 305 1–3 2023 Mardi Gras Mambo Feb. 17 vs. St. Thomas* Youngsville Sports Complex • Youngsville, LA 5–3 Seely, Kenzie (1-0) Keira Murphy (0-2) 102 2–3 Feb. 17 vs. Florida A&M* Youngsville Sports Complex • Youngsville, LA 9–0 (5 inn) Darr, Maggie (2-2) Lauryn Peppers (0-2) 96 3–3 Feb. 18 vs. Manhattan* Youngsville Sports Complex • Youngsville, LA 5–0 Denton, Ryleigh (1-1) VENEZIALE, Makayla (0-1) 68 4–3 Feb. 18 vs. Gardner–Webb* Youngsville Sports Complex • Youngsville, LA 8–2 Rhoden, Bronte (1-0) KYLE, KALYN (1-1) 75 5–3 Feb. 19 vs. Toledo* Youngsville Sports Complex • Youngsville, LA 6–0 Darr, Maggie (3-2) HUNT, Erin (1-4) 89 6–3 Feb. 22 Grambling* Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA 2–1 Darr, Maggie (3-2) Hodge, Jordan (0-1) Rhoden, Bronte (2) 437 7–3 North Texas Invitational Feb. 25 vs. Wichita State* Lovelace Stadium • Denton, TX 1–7 HOWELL, L. (4-1) Denton, Ryleigh (1-2) 128 7–4 Feb. 25 at North Texas* Lovelace Stadium • Denton, TX 3–5 Savage, S. (3-0) Darr, Maggie (4-3) Peters, A. (1) 354 7–5 Feb. 26 vs. Wichita State* Lovelace Stadium • Denton, TX 2–5 AGUILAR, A. (3-1) Seely, Kenzie (1-1) 108 7–6 Feb. 26 at North Texas* Lovelace Stadium • Denton, TX 1–10 (6 inn) Peters, A. (4-3) Rhoden, Bronte (1-1) 400 7–7
March (10–8) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC record Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission Lady Demon Classic Mar. 3 Arkansas–Pine Bluff* Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA 9–1 (5 inn) Seely, Kenzie (2-1) LeeAnn Raney (0-3) ESPN+ 689 8–7 Mar. 4 Jackson State* Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA 8–0 (5 inn) Darr, Maggie (5-3) Victoria Salazar (2-3) ESPN+ 368 9–7 Mar. 5 Arkansas–Pine Bluff* Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA 1–0 Darr, Maggie (5-3) Sydney Green (2-4) ESPN+ 169 10–7 Mar. 5 Jackson State* Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA 6–1 Denton, Ryleigh (2-2) Marissa Medina (2-1) Seely, Kenzie (1) ESPN+ 148 11–7 Mar. 11 Lamar Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA 2–8 Mitchell, Karyana (4-9) Darr, Maggie (6-4) ESPN+ 248 11–8 0–1 Mar. 11 Lamar Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA 5–4 Seely, Kenzie (3-1) Niedenthal, Cameron (2-2) ESPN+ 246 12–8 1–1 Mar. 12 Lamar Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA 1–6 Ruiz, Aaliyah (3-6) Denton, Ryleigh (2-3) ESPN+ 187 12–9 1–2 Mar. 14 at Louisiana Tech* Lady Techster Softball Complex • Ruston, LA 0–5 MELNYCHUK, B (4-2) Darr, Maggie (6-5) CUSAtv 677 12–10 Memphis Tiger Classic Mar. 17 vs. Indiana* Tiger Softball Complex • Memphis, TN 2–4 Copeland (8-0) Denton, Ryleigh (2-4) 155 12–11 Mar. 17 at Memphis* Tiger Softball Complex • Memphis, TN 6–3 Rhoden, Bronte (2-1) Siems, Halli (3-11) Darr, Maggie (1) 207 13–11 Mar. 18 vs. Indiana* Tiger Softball Complex • Memphis, TN 6–11 Copeland (9-0) Seely, Kenzie (3-2) 150 13–12 Mar. 19 vs. Memphis* Tiger Softball Complex • Memphis, TN 15–5 (5 inn) Denton, Ryleigh (3-4) Hoschak, Mik (0-5) 250 14–12 Mar. 24 at Nicholls Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA 6–5 Darr, Maggie (7-5) McNeill, Audrey (7-5) ESPN+ 131 15–12 2–2 Mar. 24 at Nicholls Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 3–1 Seely, Kenzie (4-2) Yoo, Molly (7-4) ESPN+ 102 16–12 3–2 Mar. 25 at Nicholls Swanner Field at Geo Sources Park • Thibodaux, LA 3–4 (8 inn) Yoo, Molly (8-4) Rhoden, Bronte (2-2) ESPN+ 127 16–13 3–3 Mar. 28 Louisiana Tech* Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA 1–5 FLOYD, Allie (3-4) Seely, Kenzie (4-3) ESPN+ 248 16–14 Mar. 31 Houston Christian Lady Demon Diamond • Natchtoches, LA 8–0 (5 inn) Darr, Maggie (8-5) Janes, Katy (5-7) ESPN+ 178 17–14 4–3 Mar. 31 Houston Christian Lady Demon Diamond • Natchtoches, LA 1–2 Swanson, Lyndie (7-5) Seely, Kenzie (4-4) ESPN+ 163 17–15 4–4
April (7–7) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC record Apr. 1 Houston Christian Lady Demon Diamond • Natchtoches, LA 6–1 Darr, Maggie (9-5) Janes, Katy (5-8) ESPN+ 205 19–15 5–4 Apr. 7 at McNeese Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 7–6 Darr, Maggie (10-5) Davis, Lindsay (3-2) ESPN+ 20–15 6–4 Apr. 7 at McNeese Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 0–4 Vallejo, Ashley (8-7) Seely, Kenzie (4-5) ESPN+ 687 20–16 6–5 Apr. 8 at McNeese Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 0–2 Vallejo, Ashley (9-7) Darr, Maggie (10-6) Davis, Lindsay (4) ESPN+ 707 20–17 6–6 Apr. 11 at Grambling* GSU Softball Complex • Grambling, LA 9–1 Darr, Maggie (11-6) Lauren Ervin (1-1) 89 21–17 Apr. 14 at Incarnate Word H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX 2–3 (10 inn) Portillo, S (0-0) Darr, Maggie (0-0) ESPN+ 67 21–18 7–8 Apr. 14 at Incarnate Word H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX 9–5 Denton, Ryleigh (4-4) MYERS, N (0-0) Rhoden, Bronte (3) ESPN+ 120 21–19 8–8 Apr. 15 at Incarnate Word H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX 3–11 (5 inn) GUNTHER, A (0-0) Seely, Kenzie (0-0) ESPN+ 83 21–19 8–9 Apr. 21 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA 2–1 Darr, Maggie (12-7) Aholelei, Primrose (15-10) ESPN+ 189 21–19 8–9 Apr. 21 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA 6–3 Seely, Kenzie (5-6) Galvan, Siarah (3-3) Denton, Ryleigh (1) ESPN+ 138 22–19 9–9 Apr. 22 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA 1–5 Aholelei, Primrose (16-10) Darr, Maggie (12-8) ESPN+ 208 23–20 9–9 Apr. 28 at Texas A&M–Commerce John Cain Family Softball Complex • Commerce, TX 0–2 Sanchez, J. (6-12) Darr, Maggie (12-9) ESPN+ 173 23–21 9–10 Apr. 28 at Texas A&M–Commerce John Cain Family Softball Complex • Commerce, TX 5–4 Seely, Kenzie (6-6) Sanchez, J. (6-13) Denton, Ryleigh (2) ESPN+ 24–21 10–10 Apr. 29 at Texas A&M–Commerce John Cain Family Softball Complex • Commerce, TX 3–4 Sanchez, J. (7-13) Rhoden, Bronte (2-3) Arredondo, A (1) ESPN+ 236 24–22 10–11
May (0–3) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC record May. 5 Southeastern Louisiana Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA 5–7 DuBois, Ellie (1-0) Denton, Ryleigh (4-5) ESPN+ 206 24–23 10–12 May. 5 Southeastern Louisiana Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA 0–3 Blanchard, Cera (16-6) Seely, Kenzie (6-7) ESPN+ 208 24–24 10–13 May. 6 Southeastern Louisiana Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA 1–7 DuBois, Ellie (2-0) Rhoden, Bronte (2-4) Comeaux, MC (4) ESPN+ 185 24–25 10–14
Post-Season (1–2)
Southland Tournament (1–2) Date Opponent (Seed)/Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record Tournament record May 9 vs. (3) Nicholls (6) Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 8–2 (8 inn) Seely, Kenzie (7-7) Yoo, M. (12-11) ESPN+ 457 25–25 1–0 May 10 vs. (2) Southeastern Louisiana (6) Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 1–13 (5 inn) Ladner, KK (15-1) Seely, Kenzie (7-8) ESPN+ 394 25–26 1–1 May 11 vs. (4) Lamar (6) Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 4–5 Ruiz, Aaliyah (13-11) Darr, Maggie (12-10) Ben Karim, Fadwa (1) ESPN+ 25–27 1–2

Schedule Source:^[4]*Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the NFCA/USA Softball poll.