BEAUMONT, Texas (Interstat) — The Southland Baseball Championship opens Thursday with a matchup between two teams that know each other well, as Northwestern State faces Texas-Rio Grande Valley at a neutral site in Beaumont.

The Demons (25-24) are the seed, while the Vaqueros (25-27) are seeded sixth. The tournament is a double-elimination format, and Thursday’s game is scheduled for the afternoon and evening sessions — likely a single game with a later start due to the tournament schedule.

Northwestern State took all three games of a regular-season series against UTRGV on April 2-4, outscoring the Vaqueros 32-20. The Demons won 6-5, 9-6 and 17-9. That sweep is part of a recent stretch that has seen Northwestern State lose eight of its last nine games entering the tournament. The Demons were shut out in two of their past three contests, including a 9-0 loss to McNeese State on May 9. They have not won a game since an 11-8 victory over Stephen F. Austin on April 24.

Texas-Rio Grande Valley enters with a split of its last six games. The Vaqueros won their most recent outing, a 4-2 decision at Tarleton State on May 10. In that game, reliever Victor Loa threw two scoreless innings, striking out three and allowing no hits. Over his last five appearances, Loa has a 5.40 ERA with nine strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings. He took a loss against Arkansas-Little Rock on April 22 and allowed five earned runs in 2 2/3 innings against Abilene Christian on May 5, but he also posted scoreless outings against Tarleton State and Oregon State.

For Northwestern State, relief pitcher Jacob LeBlanc has been a steady presence despite the team’s struggles. LeBlanc threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings against McNeese on May 9, allowing one unearned run while striking out four. In his previous four outings, he allowed just one earned run over four innings, striking out five. LeBlanc’s ability to keep the game close in the middle innings will be critical for a Demons bullpen that has been taxed.

Both teams have struggled offensively recently. Northwestern State scored a combined three runs in its last three losses to McNeese and Louisiana Tech. UTRGV has shown more pop, scoring at least four runs in five of its last six games, though the Vaqueros were shut out in two of those contests.

The winner advances to face the winner of the other opening-round game. With the regular-season series so lopsided, and both teams needing to halt recent slides, Thursday’s matchup could hinge on which bullpen delivers in the late innings. LeBlanc and Loa are likely to play pivotal roles.