CLINTON – Northwest's late-season run came to a close on Friday afternoon at Traceway Park, as the Rangers were defeated 3-2 by rival Northeast on day two of the Region 23 Tournament to end their season at 30-12-1 overall.

Northwest fell to reigning national champions and No. 1 LSU Eunice late Thursday, 3-0, and was forced into an elimination game. Codie Jones provided the lone Ranger hit against Lady Bengals All-American Tina Schulz, doubling to right with two outs in the seventh.

In Friday's elimination game, Northwest led 1-0 on Vicki Johnson's two-out single in the first and doubled the lead in the sixth on Natalie Smock's first career home run to left.

With Casey Baddley cruising in the circle and giving up just one hit through the first five innings, the dreaded sixth inning bit the Rangers for a second-straight day.

All six runs given up by Northwest in the tournament came in the sixth, with Northeast using a solo home run from Nicki Whitten and two-run shot from Andrea Cutts to rally from a two-run deficit and stun the Rangers.

Northwest out-hit Northeast 7-4 in the game, but dropped to 0-8 all-time in the region tournament.

Hillari Plummer went 2-for-4 in her last game for the Rangers, while sophomore Linsey Hebert also had a hit. Also dressing out a last time were Cheryl Holcomb, Stormy Robison, Amanda Bies and Courtney Clay.

The 30-win season for Northwest marked its third in the last six seasons under Mike Rowan.