SENATOBIA – Northwest managed just three hits all afternoon against reigning north division champions Itawamba, but found a way to split a doubleheader with a 2-0 win in game one and 1-0 loss in the finale.
Itawamba, who went 22-2 in the north last year with its only losses in Senatobia, moved to 7-6-1 overall and 3-1 in the north. Northwest moved to 8-4 overall and 1-3 in division play. Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box
Northwest was out-hit 8-3 on the day but took advantage of four Lady Indian errors.
Scoreless through four innings in Game 1, Northwest found the game-winning runs in the fifth. Casey Baddley led off the inning on an infield error and the pinch runner, Tori Turnipseed, scored a batter later on Lauren Riley's double to left-center. Natalie Smock made it 2-0 two batters later on a sacrifice fly to right.
Itawamba threatened to tie the game in the seventh off reliever Lindsey Shaw, but a crucial baserunning mistake cost the Lady Indians that chance.
After Jessi Patterson's leadoff single, Shaw retired the next two batters before Catherine Carver's single up the middle put two on with two outs. Lauren Lewis then singled to center to load the bases, but Carver overran the bag at second and was caught 8-5-4 to end the game.
Casey Baddley (3-2) picked up the win in five innings of work, allowing just two hits and striking out two. Shaw tossed the final two innings and allowed three hits for her second save of the year.
Northwest's lone hit of the game came by way of Lauren Riley in the fifth.
Backed by an impressive two-hit shutout by Montana Hawkins in Game 2 and Patterson's two-out RBI-double in the third, Itawamba held on for a 1-0 victory to split the doubleheader.
Northwest's only real scoring threat came in the bottom of the third when they loaded the bases off a hit-by-pitch, error and a walk, but were unable to push across a run.
Roxanna Kimes (4-1) had another solid game in the circle, tossing a complete-game three-hitter, but the run support wasn't there as she took her first collegiate loss.
The Rangers will take to the road on Saturday, traveling to Holmes for a noon doubleheader.
Fans can watch Game 1 of the twinbill at www.ihigh.com/holmesathletics and also follow live stats for both games via the Bulldogs' Gamechanger account HERE.
