BOONEVILLE – In a north division battle Wednesday afternoon at Booneville City Park, freshman Casey Baddley tossed a three-hit shutout to lift Northwest to a 1-0 win in the opener before Northeast's Erin Dixson returned the favor with a four-hit shutout to lift the Lady Tigers over the Rangers in game two, 7-0.

Northwest moved its season record to 14-6-1 overall and 5-3 in the north division while Northeast moved to 16-10 overall and 7-3 in north division play. The teams have now split the last 22 meetings overall.

Scoreless through the first five innings in the opener, back-to-back one-out doubles by Natalie Smock and Baddley (RBI-double) pushed across the lone run of the game in the top of the sixth, sending the Rangers to victory.

Northwest out-hit Northeast 9-3 in the game, but scored just one run while stranding seven.

Smock closed the game 3-for-3 and Linsey Hebert was 2-for-4 to pace the Ranger bats. 

Baddley (8-1, 1.17 ERA) scattered three hits and three strikeouts in her sixth complete game performance. Jaisa Fox (5-6) took the loss for the Tigers, giving up nine hits while striking out two and allowing one run.

Fox would get her revenge in game two, however, delivering a two-RBI single to left in the first inning that proved to be the winning runs. Northeast opened the frame with consecutive singles to the pitcher and used a sac bunt to move the runners in scoring position for Fox.

Emily Hatcher settled in the ensuing three innings, giving up just two hits and hanging three consecutive zeros on the board to keep the Rangers within striking distance.

Dixson (7-3) was dealing in the circle for Northeast though, allowing her defense to do a majority of the work in picking up 12 groundouts in the game.

The Tigers would break it open in the fifth on a Ranger miscue, as shortstop Hillari Plummer and Hatcher collided in the circle on a shallow pop fly that started a five-run rally and put the game out of reach. Northeast used three hits and two errors in the frame, combined with Dixson's two-run single and RBIs from Andrea Cutts and Raleigh Downs.

Northwest managed just four hits in the 7-0 loss, with Hebert grabbing two and both Smock and Stormy Robison each picking up a hit. The Tigers finished with nine hits, including three from Haley Knepp and two from Downs.

Northwest will return home Saturday, welcoming Holmes (6-20, 4-2 north) for a noon start. This will be the first of 12 consecutive home games for the Rangers (six doubleheaders) ranging from March 24 to April 9.