Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SENATOBIA – Sophomore Haley Vance hit a walk-off, two-run home run to give Northwest a 6-4 victory (8 inn.) in Game 1 and freshman Kiley Dunagan grabbed her first collegiate win in the circle in Game 2 to complete a sweep of East Mississippi in the division-opener for both teams. 

Northwest improved to 7-4 overall and 2-0 in the north, while EMCC dropped to 11-11 and 0-2.

Tied 2-2 after seven in the opener, the international tiebreaker rule came into effect. A runner was placed at second base to start the eighth for both teams, which was the final out of the previous inning.

EMCC caught a big break in its half of the eighth when Alyssa Dean made a great diving catch in right and appeared to double up Kristen Stanfield at third after she left early on the tag. But the umpires had a brief meeting and ruled that she did not, counting the go-ahead run. Pepper Baker followed a batter later with an RBI-single to give the Lady Lions a 4-2 lead.

Peyton Clanton was placed at second to start the bottom half for Northwest and advanced to third after a leadoff single by Alex Barrett. Roxanna Kimes then stepped to the plate and drilled the first pitch into left-center to score both runs and tie it at 4-4. Vance capped off the thrilling comeback with a walk-off, two-run home run to right-center two pitches later for her first career home run and a 6-4 Ranger win.

Kimes got the win in the circle, tossing two innings to improve to 2-0 on the year.

Northwest jumped ahead 4-0 in Game 2 thanks to a three-run fifth inning. Dean led off the inning with a double and scored on an error, while Kendall Alford followed with an RBI-double three batters later to score Andi Barrett. Tori Turnipseed scored the third run of the inning on another EMCC error.

The Lady Lions would make it interesting in the seventh, scoring two runs with two outs thanks to Stanfield's two-run double. Kimes, however, entered in relief for Jessica Holliday and threw one pitch to earn the save and give the Rangers the 5-3 win.

Dunagan earned her first win in the circle, tossing five innings of scoreless softball and allowing just three hits and striking out two. She threw 69 pitches, 44 for strikes.     

Northwest returns to action next Tuesday, March 4 at Itawamba, weather permitting.